Hyderabad- The United Muslim Forum (UMF), an apex body of various religious organisations belonging to different schools of thought, on Tuesday declared support to the ruling Congress in Telangana for the Lok Sabha elections in 16 out of the 17 constituencies in the state.
It decided to back the AIMIM in the Hyderabad constituency.
The decision was taken at a meeting, which was presided over by religious scholar Moulana Mufti Syed Sadeq Mohiuddin, who heads the UMF.
Moulana Akbar Nizamuddin, who heads the well-known seminary Jamia Nizamia, said it was unanimously decided to support the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in the state in the fourth phase on May 13.
The meeting appealed to the Muslims of Telangana to vote in favour of the Congress candidates in all the constituencies barring Hyderabad.
The UMF also appealed to the Muslims in Hyderabad to support the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), whose President Asaduddin Owaisi is seeking re-election for a fifth consecutive term.
The meeting felt that the country is passing through a critical phase and that Muslims should discharge their responsibility by defeating the communal forces.
The meeting was attended by religious scholars, community leaders, and intellectuals from various walks of life.
M.A. Majid, one of the participants, told IANS that the meeting was of the unanimous view that since the Congress and the INDIA bloc are taking the communal forces head-on in the elections, the Muslims of Telangana should back the party.
The UMF had backed the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the Assembly elections held in November 2023. The participants in the meeting felt that though the regional party is secular, this being the Lok Sabha elections, there is a need to support a national party like the Congress to defeat the communal forces.
“The meeting also noted the efforts of Asaduddin Owaisi in exposing the communal forces and commended his services, ” Majid said.
The meeting also appealed to avoid the division of secular votes and decided to create awareness among the voters on the importance of casting every vote.