Malegaon: The elections for the new mayor and deputy mayor in Malegaon Wednesday once again reflected that the only thing on top of the political parties' agenda in India is their interests, and for that sake they are ready to go to any extent.
[Abdul Malik Yunus Isa, MIM candidate in 2014 Maharashtra elections, requesting the police to make way for the bus on which corporators supporting Haji Ibrahim came to Malegaon Municipal Corporation for voting in mayor election on December 10, 2014. (ummid.com photo)]
Abdul Malik, the NCP corporator who contested the 2014 Maharashtra assembly election as the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) candidate, walked out from the house after Returning Officer Sonakshi Pokshe formally announced the proceeding of the election for the new mayor. Malik also abstained from voting in the deputy mayor election which followed the mayor election.
While walking out of the house, Abdul Malik said, "MIM… MIM… I am from MIM. As MIM is opposed to the communal forces, I cannot vote for the NCP candidate who is backed by the Shiv Sena."
Similarly, 12 corporators of the Shiv Sena voted in favour of the NCP's mayoral candidate Haji Ibrahim but refused to vote for Malegaon Shaher Vikas Agahdi's Shaikh Yunus Isa who was contesting for the post of deputy mayor.
But, a close analysis of the entire election proceedings revealed that there's more to it than meets the eye.
Talking to ummid.com some corporators said that the 'master planner' of the entire electioneering was Shaikh Yunus Isa, and he with his son Abdul Malik, the MIM candidate in the 2014 state election, used all available resources to make sure that Haji Ibrahim of the NCP wins the election.
Moreover, it is learnt, Shaikh Yunus Isa was also instrumental in 'buying' the supports from the Shiv Sena and corporators of the other parties.
In fact, when the 46 corporators of the Shiv Sena, Malegaon Shaher Vikas Aghadi and Teesri Aghadi who voted for Haji Ibrahim arrived in the meeting hall of the Malegaon Municipal Corporation (MMC), they were escorted by Abdul Malik and his two younger brothers Abdul Majid and Dr. Khalid.
In the meeting hall too Abdul Malik and the Shiv Sena corporators sat together on the treasury benches.
When Returning Officer Sonakshi Pokshe asked the coprorators to raise hands in favour of Haji Ibrahim of NCP, Abdul Malik was seen counting. After he was convinced that the number is with Haji Ibrahim, in a dramatic turnaround, he staged a walk-out from the house, saying he cannot vote for the NCP candidate who is backed by the Shiv Sena.
He did the same thing when corporators voted for his father Shaikh Yunus Isa for the post of the deputy mayor. He counted the hands, smiled and then abstained from voting.
This time the Shiv Sena corporators, who voted for Ibrahim Haji for the post of mayor, abstained from voting to Yunus Isa, saying they cannot support him as his son Abdul Malik belongs to the MIM.
Another curious act during the election procedure was of Janata Dal (S) corporator Gulshan Bi. Gulshan Bi was sitting with the Yunus Isa group. As Returning Officer Sonakshi Pokshe called for voting in the mayor election, she did not raise her hand in support of Bulund Iqbal of Janata Dal (S). It was against the whip issued by the party.
Seeing this, corporators from Yunus Isa's rival group demanded video-shooting of those who are not voting. It was then that Yunus Isa and Abdul Malik told Gulshan Bi to raise her hand. It was a clever attempt to save her membership, as Yunus Isa group already had the number with them.
Interestingly, both Yunus Isa and Abdul Malik won the municipal elections on the NCP ticket. Abdul Malik was in fact willing to contest the assembly election as NCP candidate. But, when the NCP declined him the party ticket, he switched over to the MIM and contested the state election as MIM candidate. All through the assembly election, Yunus Isa was there with his son, and also shared dais with MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Telanagana MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi.
After the assembly elections were over, speculations were rife that Yunus Isa family's honeymoon with the MIM will soon come to an end. And, in the run up to the election when it was reported that Yunus Isa and his son Abdul Malik are hobnobbing with the NCP and the Shiv Sena for the post of deputy mayor, Malegaon MIM Convener Mohd Rizwan issued a statement declaring that Abdul Malik had been expelled from the party by Maharashtra state president of the MIM Syed Moeen.
Abdul Malik however remained adamant and in a counter statement issued the next day said he was very well with the MIM. He went on to add that the MIM high command too have total faith in him.
The MIM top leadership, including Asaduddin Owaisi, meanwhile is keeping total silence on what's going on in Malegaon.
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