The Congress party has strongly condemned MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi for blaming secular parties, including Congress, for the victory of Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
"Having sabotaged the secular votes by creating a division through polarisation, Asaduddin Owaisi is trying to defend his stand by blaming others.
MIM president entered Uttar Pradesh by wearing a communal mascot which was laced with hate speeches delivered by him and his brother in the past.
He was fully supported by the BJP-backed media which gave his party more prominence than the Congress, Samajwadi Party or other secular groups.
The number of seats from where MIM fielded its candidates was immaterial for the BJP and it only took advantage of MIM's presence in the electoral battle and won the elections due to polarisation of votes and also due to division of secular votes," Telangana Congress party’s minority leader Shaik Abdullah Sohail said.
He said the MIM leaders acted as per the directions of BJP chief Amit Shah and fielded candidates from selective Assembly constituencies where polarisation and division of votes was essential to help the BJP win elections.
He said if MIM was serious on expanding its base to other parts of the country, then it would have contested in all States and from all seats.
Since it wanted the BJP to win UP elections, it entered the State with a specific agenda and accomplished its goal, he said adding that MIM had benefitted the BJP and Shiv Sena in a similar fashion during Maharashtra Assembly elections.
