Indore: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen bags two seats in Khandwa, Burhanpur

INDORE: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) made entry into Madhya Pradesh after party’s two candidates won from Khandwa and Burhanpur cities in urban body polls, results of which were declared on Sunday.AIMIM’s Sakira Bilal was elected corporator from Chhatrapati Shivaji Nagar (Ward-14) of Khandwa. She defeated her nearest rival, Congress’ Nurjahan Begam with a margin of 285 votes.In Burhanpur city, party’s candidate Rafiq Ahmed won from Nehru Nagar (ward-2) by defeating his nearest rival from Congress with a margin of 349 votes.The party’s candidates stood third in election for mayor’s post both in Khandwa and Burhanpur municipal bodies. In Burhanpur, AIMIM’s mayoral candidate Shaista Sohel Hashmi secured 10,274 votes, while its candidate in Khandwa Kaniz Bi received 9601 votes.Party members see this victory as an outcome of Asaduddin Owaisi’s appeal to Congress voters not to waste their vote by supporting it as an option to BJP.“Congress has become a spent force in the country. It has lost its existence, don’t waste your vote on it,” Owaisi had said while addressing a public meeting in Jabalpur before municipal elections on June 27.AIMIM Khandwa district president Mohammad Umar said that their party’s victory in Madhya Pradesh civic polls was all because of public support and trust that AIMIM gained under the leadership of party chief Owaisi.“We see this victory as a beginning of change, and hope to win more seats in the next elections,” said Umar while speaking to TOI after declaration of results..