Owaisi-led AIMIM to field 25 candidates in Karnataka polls, eyes alliance with JD(S)
Bengaluru (PTI): Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM plans to field candidates in about 25 constituencies and is eyeing an electoral alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular) in the Assembly elections in Karnataka, the party's state unit president Osman Ghani said on Tuesday.
Speaking to PTI, party chief Owaisi said: "So far, we have announced three candidates. We are open for alliance. We will definitely contest the elections. Whether we will have an alliance or not, we will have to wait".
State unit chief Ghani said the party is in talks with the JD(S) headed by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda for an alliance but the latter is yet to respond to the offer. He said the party would contest in about 25 segments in the state.
In the 2018 polls for the 224-member Assembly in Karnataka, AIMIM had backed the JD(S) and not fielded any candidates.
Asked about parties with which AIMIM is open for alliance, Owaisi, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha member, said: "Congress does not want to have an alliance because they make wild and baseless allegations against me. So, we will see".
Owaisi termed as "completely illegal" the Basavaraj Bommai government's recent decision to scrap four per cent reservation for Muslims within the OBC category, and expressed indignation: "Why weren't there protests? Why weren't strong statements emanated from so-called secular leaders and parties?"
On oft-repeated criticism by some parties that AIMIM fielding candidates lead to "division" of the Muslim vote, he wondered why such a question is not being posed to leaders of other communities such as Lingayats, Vokkaligas and Kurubas.
He also recalled that the AIMIM had not fielded candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, where the Congress could get only one seat. "Was it because of the division of Muslim vote or consolidation of 'majority' vote for the BJP?" Owaisi asked.
The AIMIM leader noted that the BJP formed the government in Karnataka in 2019 with the help of defectors from the Congress.
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Police making efforts to locate, recover weapons disposed of by Maoists: Karnataka Home Minister
Bengaluru, Jan 10: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said that six surrendered Maoists have not handed over their weapons, and the police are working to locate and recover them from the forest where they are believed to have been disposed of.
Noting that one Maoist, expelled from the surrendered group, is still at large and efforts are underway to trace him, he said there is no one else involved in Naxal activities in the state. He added that any individuals coming from other states will be closely monitored.
A group of six Maoists surrendered to the government in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his home office, ‘Krishna,’ on Wednesday evening.
The group includes four individuals from Karnataka: Mundagaru Latha from Sringeri, Vanajakshi Balehole from Kalasa, Sundari Kutluru from Dakshina Kannada, and Mareppa Aroli from Raichur. The other two are Vasantha K from Vellore in Tamil Nadu and N Jeesha from Wayanad in Kerala.
"We need to search for the weapons. It is not yet known where they were disposed of in the forest, but efforts are underway in that direction," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question.
Addressing the BJP's allegation that the government prioritised rehabilitation for Maoists over recovering their weapons, he said, "They keep making such claims. The government will do its job. We may need to gather information from the Maoists about where the weapons were hidden and seek their assistance. There are procedures, and they will be followed."
The BJP has also been in government, and they are aware of this. It was the same police department during their tenure, he added.
The six surrendered Maoists will be rehabilitated under categories 'A' and 'B' of the Naxal Surrender Policy, Karnataka 2024, and will each receive Rs 3 lakh.
In response to a question about reports that another Maoist, Ravindra, is still at large, the Home Minister said, "According to the information we have, this group had expelled him, but the reasons are not yet known. Efforts are underway to trace him, and he is believed to be in the Chikkamagaluru region."
Regarding the surrendered Maoists, the Home Minister stated that they were the last active Maoists in the state.
He added, "If anyone comes from other states, it will be closely monitored. There is a possibility of individuals coming from Odisha or Kerala, and we will remain vigilant. The government is making efforts to discourage Naxalism. According to our information, no one else is currently involved in such activities in the state."
The surrender followed the killing of Maoist leader Vikram Gowda in an encounter with the Anti-Naxal Force at Peetabailu village in Hebri, Udupi district, on November 18, 2024.
When asked about Vikram Gowda's family seeking compensation in light of the package being provided to surrendered Maoists, Parameshwara said, "It will be verified. Both cases are different."
