Open for poll alliance in UP, says AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi

Hyderabad, Aug 22 (PTI) AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisihas said his party is open for an alliance to fight electionsin Uttar Pradesh, where he claimed the Samajwadi Party isfacing public anger over "failure" to fulfil poll promises. "Our state (UP) president Shaukat Ali is in touch withsome organisations, some leaders and some parties. It would betoo early to really comment on it. Definitely we are open foralliance but not with parties like Samajwadi, Congress orBJP," Owaisi told PTI when asked if there is a possibility ofhis party tying up with smaller parties for the poll, dueearly next year. "I am not involved in those matters. Our state presidentis there. We will have to wait for some time," the Lok Sabhamember from Hyderabad said. Owaisi, who addressed two public meetings in UttarPradesh recently, said his party is getting "very goodresponse" from people which was "very heartening" and gave hisparty a "lot of confidence". "There is definitely lot of anger against the stategovernment because they have not fulfilled the promises madein election manifesto. Governance has taken a beating. Theyhave failed to control law and order and now within their ownparty they have serious internal differences," he said. As per Owaisi, the key plank of his party’s campaigningin Uttar Pradesh would be "failure" of the SP government. He alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government has notfulfilled the promise of giving 18 per cent reservation toMuslims and opening of schools in minority-concentrationdistricts. "There were eight promises related to Muslim minority inthe election manifesto and they have not done at all. Even theallocations made to Ministry of Minority Welfare, not even 50per cent is released. Out of Rs 3.5 lakh crore budget of UttarPradesh, only 0.84 per cent is allocated to Minority WelfareMinistry…that’s for 20 per cent of population," he said. Owaisi said the Uttar Pradesh Assembly needs "somestrong people" who can talk about development of education,improving of health indicators and on issues of security,adding that "huge" incidents of communal violence and riotshave taken place but Muslim MLAs were not "brave enough orassertive enough" to ask pointed questions as to why they arehappening. "So, these are issues and atrocities on Dalits are stillcontinuing," he added. PTI RS GKDV