Saturday, Apr 27, 2024 | Last Update : 04:09 AM IST
Maharashtra: Poonawalla is Congress’s counter to Asaduddin Owaisi
Apparently accepting the challenge of the growing clouts of Asaduddin Owaisi of Majlis-i-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) in Maharashtra, the Congress has propped up young Muslim face from its ranks, Shehzad
Apparently accepting the challenge of the growing clouts of Asaduddin Owaisi of Majlis-i-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) in Maharashtra, the Congress has propped up young Muslim face from its ranks, Shehzad Poonawalla, to counter the influence of the Hyderabad-based leader.
Sources said that Mr Poonawala has been given the responsibility by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) to give inputs for Pune given the forthcoming Pune corporation elections in 2017.
“He is also tasked with fighting the AIMIM in the state as he has strong credentials as a young Muslim face across India and has filed a case against Asaduddin Owaisi. In the days to come he will be exposing the nexus between the BJP and the AIMIM,” said a senior Congress functionary.
The sources stated that given his experience at the AICC media cell and in other key functions, the 28-year-old “has very good links with the Central leadership and the party high command in Delhi”.
“He can provide vital feedback to and fro, from Delhi to Mumbai on key issues. On May 17, he is taking senior party leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor to Pune where he will address the Pune Congress and Pune NSUI and Youth Congress functionaries on using the social media effectively,” added the Congress functionary. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee has also constituted a 12-member “strategic and planning department” comprising senior general secretaries and secretaries of the state unit of the party. The panel has been given five objectives, including in the next 10-12 days, to discuss important issues pertaining to the political situation in Maharashtra and formulate the party’s stand which will be taken by the spokespersons, sources said.
“It will discuss events, programmes to be taken up by the party and discuss them with the MPCC president. One such programme is on the tribal rights issue which is close to the heart of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Another one is on the worsening drought situation,” sources said.
