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The Congress party is reportedly contemplating nominating renowned tennis player Sania Mirza to contest against All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi from Hyderabad in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as reported by Moneycontrol, citing anonymous sources.
Hyderabad, known for its rich cultural heritage and diverse demographics, has long been a stronghold of AIMIM. However, the recent resurgence of the Congress party witnessed in the 2023 assembly polls in the region has posed a significant challenge to AIMIM’s dominance, setting the stage for a fiercely contested electoral battle.
The Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) reportedly discussed 18 names, including Mirza’s, during a meeting held on Wednesday to deliberate on candidates in several states, including Telangana. Political analysts speculate that Congress aims to leverage Sania Mirza’s widespread popularity and celebrity status to regain a foothold in the city’s electoral landscape, as the party hasn’t won in Hyderabad since 1980, with K S Narayan as the MP.
According to the report, the proposal for Mirza’s candidacy was put forward by former Indian cricket captain and Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin. Notably, Azharuddin and Mirza share close familial ties, with Azharuddin’s son Mohammed Asaddudin married to Sania Mirza’s sister, Anam Mirza, since 2019.
Azharuddin himself contested in the recent Telangana legislative assembly elections, where he faced defeat against Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s (BRS) Maganti Gopinath in the Jubilee Hills constituency, losing by over 16,000 votes.