TD takes fight to MIM camp

hyderabad: the telugu desam party (tdp) has launched an aggressive campaign against the majlis-e-ittehadul muslimeen (mim) in the old city of hyderabad. tdp general secretary s m lal jan basha and wakf board chairman mohammed saleem have been campaigning particularly in strongholds of the mim —darulshifa, moghalpura, chanchalam, chandrayangutta, yakutpura, madannapet, imlibun, and hussaini alam — are for the first time witnessing a high-pitch tdp campaign.at a function organised to felicitate wakf board chairman saleem and other board members at darulshifa on sunday, a prominent shia leader syed ali raza joined the tdp along with his supporters. though the event appeared to be stage-managed, the tdp leaders created an impression that their party has been gaining strength in the old city. addressing the gathering, the tdp leaders spoke more about the mim's failure in developing the old city than the tdp's achievements. the mim is responsible for inciting communal riots in the old city. they have used a former mayor of their party to print and distribute objectionable pamphlets which led to a communal riot in which eight people were killed. the congress groups too have a long history of masterminding communal riots in the old city to destabilise their own chief ministers, basha said. basha asked the people to vote for the tdp if they wanted peace and development. if the mim or the congress wins the municipal elections, then communal riots will return and the old city will remain backward, he said. saleem said the tdp government was committed to the overall development of the old city and asked muslims to vote for the party if they really wished to solve their problems.