BJP’s choice to take on Asaduddin Owaisi in Hyderabad: Long-time RSS worker, mother of three

“It is unclear why she was chosen as she is not a well-known karyakarta (worker). Maybe the woman factor, her strong oratory skills and work among Muslim women worked in her favour. The party will back her and we will put up a strong fight,” a BJP leader said.

The AIMIM has held the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat for four decades – while Salahuddin Owaisi held it from 1984 to 1999, it has been won by his son Asaduddin since. The AIMIM also holds all the Assembly segments under the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, barring Goshamahal, which is represented by the BJP’s T Raja Singh.

The BJP chose Latha over party veteran Bhagavanth Rao Pawar, who had been its candidate from the seat in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, losing to Asaduddin by a huge margin both times. Sources said her proximity to senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar, the head of the Sangh’s Muslim Rashtriya Manch whom she sees as a mentor, was instrumental in her being picked by the BJP as its candidate.

“The BJP would not have picked me at all if Hindu-Muslim was my poll issue. The party knows I work with a lot of Muslims and I am compassionate towards them. I have been a fierce critic of triple talaq. If I can go on a hunger strike for a temple, I will do the same for a Muslim woman,” she says.

Growing up in a lower-middle class family in Santosh Nagar Colony of Yakutpura in the Old City, Latha says she was always exposed to different cultures.

“What scarred me were the communal riots in the 1980s. They left me pondering why people would want to express their hatred by taking someone’s life. Today, with years of experience, I realise it is not the common man who is behind it but more a political game,” she says.

“A common man – Hindu or Muslim – does not want violence. A Hindu is suffering not because of the common Muslim man but due to those Muslim men who have held power and never wanted peace between the two communities. This reinforced my feelings towards Muslims, who have been deserted by their own leader,” Latha says, in an apparent reference to Owaisi.

Throwing an open challenge to the incumbent MP, she adds: “I will campaign in each bylane of Old City and even if a single stone is hurled at me, Asaduddin will be answerable.”

She urges her opponents to allow a “barabari ka muqabala (level playing field)”. “Let us move as individuals, not bring up religion and play with people’s emotions. I will not talk about religion and will not provoke people,” the BJP nominee says.

Claiming that there are polling booths in Hyderabad which see voters being threatened and agents scared to work freely, Latha says: “I request the Election Commission (EC) to allow live streaming of the voting process, and urge the EC and police to deploy adequate force.”

According to her, she is also ready to approach Union Home Minister Amit Shah for a special task force to oversee the 1,996 polling booths in the constituency. “Once this is done, doodh ka doodh aur paani ka paani ho jaayega (things will be crystal clear),” she says.

Latha also claims alleged illegal deletion of over 2 lakh Hindu voters from electoral rolls. “This has been the practice for four decades. The country thinks there are a lot of Muslims in the Old City area and hence Asaduddin keeps winning. I want to tell Asad bhai that I am not just another candidate. I will get votes from all those people across communities who suffered because of you. I am on the mission of my life,” she says.

“Misconceptions” surrounding the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Uniform Civil Code and instant triple talaq are also high on Latha’s priority. “I want to tell my Muslim brothers and sisters that the CAA will benefit them as a Muslim person from any other country will not be granted citizenship (easily), and hence won’t be eligible for benefits granted to citizens,” she argues.