Nampally has long been a stronghold for AIMIM since 2009 — and Feroz Khan of the Congress has positioned himself as a strong contender this time.
Nampally has long been a stronghold for AIMIM since 2009, not conceding the seat during this time. (Sumit Jha/South First)
With the Telangana Assembly elections 2023 just a couple of days away, South First is bringing you ground reports from key constituencies. This series brings you voices from the ground, the mood of the voters, and issues that matter — as well as those that don’t.
In the quiet, meandering lanes of the Muslim Dhobi Basti in the Mallepally area of Nampally constituency, Shehzad Begum walks slowly towards a cluster of houses located below road level. She carefully avoids a narrow drain flowing between the paths, before reaching her home.
Descending a couple of feet, she enters a modest dwelling — a one-room, one-kitchen rented accommodation, where her family of seven has been living.
As the eyes get accustomed to the room, forms become clearer. Someone is lying on a cot beneath hanging clothes, motionless, but watching the entire room in eerie silence. Even before asking, Shehzad took out a document that said “Post-encephalitic sequelae”.
It’s a medical term that confounds the average person, and Shehzad is no exception. Her daughter — the form lying on the bed — is 32-year-old Mehraj Begum is battling with this condition, which has rendered her bedridden since childhood with a permanent disability.
“She had a severe bout of brain fever when she was just two years old and never regained her strength. The doctor told us that she had experienced a shock, and she would be disabled for her entire life. Since then, she has never left her bed,” Shehzad told South First.
Post-encephalitic sequelae refer to the enduring effects or complications that linger after an individual suffers encephalitis.
Disability certificate of Mehraj
According to the disability certificate issued by the Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad, Mehraj is 85 percent disabled, suffering from spastic quadriparesis — a condition in which all four limbs, the spine, and trunk face impaired functionality.
Shehzad, who works as a domestic help, took the initiative to obtain the certification for Mehraj, her eldest daughter.
“I have never seen her walk. She speaks, but it requires a lot of effort. In addition to my job, I have an extra role as her nurse. I have to attend to her every need, from meals to baths — she’s unable to do anything on her own,” the doting mother said.
Water seeps into the house from the road when it rains. “The water will come inside the house and even dampens the bed on which Mehraj sleeps. One of us has to put a chair on the bed and carry her in the lap and sit there till the water recedes,” Shahzad said.
The family has been staying in the one-room accommodation provided by the mosque for the past two decades.
Mehraj reflected on her family’s life journey. “We used to live in a slum in this area, but it was demolished, and the mosque offered us this house. Initially, we paid ₹200, and now we pay ₹2,500 monthly as rent. We are responsible for electricity and all other expenses,” she said.
Syed and Shehzad in front, Mehraj in the room lying on the bed. (Sumit Jha/South First).
The government has housing schemes for the poor and slumdwellers and provides financial aid of ₹4,016 for differently-abled individuals through the Asara pension scheme.
Mehraj, despite her 85 percent disability, is not receiving any pension from the government, her father Syed Dastagir said.
Syed, who makes a living by operating a rickshaw for transporting goods, expressed frustration at his attempts to secure a pension for his daughter.
“I have visited the government office three times to have the pension sanctioned for my daughter. Each time, they directed me to get the paperwork endorsed through local representatives,” he said.
Despite seeking assistance from the local leaders of both AIMIM and BRS, he has been facing persistent delays and deferrals.
“Every time I went, they asked me to return the next day or at another time. My family relies on my daily earnings. How long can I afford to leave my work and chase after these people? So, I eventually stopped going,” Syed rued.
Expressing his frustration, Syed recalled: “The same ordeal unfolded when I applied for a double-bedroom house. I didn’t receive the pension for my daughter, or the house. It seems like I am destined to live and eventually pass away in this slum house with Mehraj.”
Nampally Assembly constituency. (Click on the image to enlarge)
In Aghapura, 75-year-old Ram Das Gupta sat on the porch outside his modest home in a slum, reflecting on the changing landscape of politics. “Politics has become rather harsh these days. In the past, politicians used to come to your doorstep seeking votes and enquiring about the challenges we faced,” Gupta recalled.
“Nowadays, a representative comes to the door not to ask but to insist on voting for a specific party. Meanwhile, the leaders wave from the tops of their vehicles, the same way they wave off problems from a distance as they move on,” he smirked.
Ram Das Gupta. (Sumit Jha/South First)
Gupta pointed out a common issue in local governance. If a pipeline has to be laid in a lane, the road is often dug up, and for years it would remain in a state of disrepair, and the entire locality has to endure it.
“If you approach a leader raising the issue, he might say that it will be addressed later. However, if the leaders need votes, they will instruct their associates to follow up and get it done.”
Nevertheless, Gupta acknowledged that the promises made by state-level leadership have improved their lives.
“The Asara pension of ₹2,016 for the elderly is a good scheme, ensuring security for people like us. I recall a time when the elderly were thrown out of their homes because they didn’t earn and they had to resort to begging at traffic signals. This scheme offers security, eliminating the need to depend on family or begging for survival,” he smiled.
However, Gupta was critical of the BRS’s attempt to gain favour through this scheme. He questioned, “Why? Because it’s ₹2,016, and now they promise to increase it. If they genuinely wanted to increase it, they could have done it earlier. Also, the monthly disbursement, which used to come in the first week of every month, arrived on 23 November this month, just seven days before the election,” he observed.
Seated beside Gupta, Yusuf Ahmed shared his perspective. Emphasising that a significant portion of the constituency’s population has been residing in the basti (slum), he said, “We desperately need double-bedroom houses. When the government introduced the double-bedroom scheme, there was a sense of anticipation among the slum dwellers. They hoped to live in high-quality homes,” he said, before pointing at the reality.
“However, if you ask anyone in the basti, how many of them have received these houses? The answer is none. Some did, but they have political affiliations, whether it’s with the car-wala (BRS) or patang-wala (AIMIM),” Yusuf explained, pointing out the nepotism in the distribution of housing benefits.
Congress candidate Feroz Khan sparked a controversy in the constituency suggesting a significant section of the Muslim electorate possessed a “Talibani” and fanatical mindset.
Soon after the video of Khan’s remark reached the public, AIMIM responded strongly. It cautioned Khan, saying that such language aligned with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) rhetoric and added that the Congress was being influenced by the RSS, referring to state unit chief A Revanth Reddy.
“AIMIM leaders declared that the fight is against the BJP and the Congress, which they claim is controlled by the RSS. Meanwhile, some BJP leaders suggested that they would revoke the reservation for the Muslim community. As impoverished individuals, if our children receive some concessions due to our social status, they seem unwilling to acknowledge it,” Yusuf noted.
Yusuf Ahmed. (Sumit Jha/South First)
Yusuf emphasised that their social standing takes precedence over addressing their concerns. “Our identity as a vote bank seems to matter more than addressing our issues. We are seen as a voting bloc, not as humans who need solutions to our problems,” he lamented.
Syed mentioned that his family has seven votes, including that of Mehraj. “Everyone approaches us to discuss our identity as Muslims, but no one is genuinely working to resolve our issues,” he remarked, highlighting the disconnect between political rhetoric and the tangible problems faced by the community.
Nampally has been an AIMIM stronghold over the past two decades. However, a notable change this time around is the party’s decision to shift Jaffer Hussain Meraj to Yakutpura and bring in Mohammed Majid Hussain, the former mayor of Hyderabad, as the candidate for Nampally.
Hussain is recognised as a formidable candidate with the strong support of the youth in the constituency. He holds influence in his home turf of Ahmednagar ward and serves as the Mehdipatnam corporator.
On the opposing side is Feroz Khan, who has previously tried his luck with different party tickets in 2009, 2014, and 2018 without success. However, Khan’s outspoken criticism of AIMIM has positioned him as a contender, with the potential to benefit from anti-incumbency sentiments against the AIMIM.
“Feroz Khan is a good candidate, and we want to align ourselves with the winning side in the political spectrum. We see a possibility of Congress winning the election,” said Yusuf, highlighting the positive aspects of Khan’s candidacy.
He added that the Congress has promised to increase Asara to ₹5,000, provide financial assistance to housewives, and offer free bus rides for women, along with a gas cylinder priced at ₹400. These proposals are seen as beneficial by the residents.
However, Gupta pointed out that urbanisation has surged in many localities, leading to housing challenges. While there may be scepticism about obtaining double-bedroom houses, Gupta mentioned that the Indiramma scheme might provide some relief to those facing housing woes.
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