Parvez Hashmi, Okhla-based leader, is planning to launch in daughter-in-law in MDC polls? With the 2022 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls approaching, political parties and local leaders have begun formulating strategies to prepare for the high-stakes contest. Although the official date of the MCD elections has yet to be announced, local leaders in Okhla have already launched their campaigns to win the hearts and minds of voters and secure party nominations.
Among the many aspirants in Okhla, local buzz suggests that former Okhla MLA from the Congress, Parvez Hashmi, is considering fielding his daughter-in-law, Ishrat Jahan, as a candidate.
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She was arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the northeast Delhi riots case in February. Parvez Hashmi’s daughter-in-law Ishrat Jahan, a former Congress Councillor from a North East Delhi ward, is also a practising advocate.
She was granted bail on 14 March 2022 after being incarcerated since February 2020.
When the OT contacted Ishrat’s husband Farhan Hashmi to verify the information, he said residents of the locality want her to contest from Ward 102S, citing her significant contributions to the community. “We want her to contest but it all depends on the Congress party and if the party gives her ticket then she will contest from the women reserved seat,” he told the OT over phone.
When asked if he plans to contest the elections himself, he said he is not in the race.
Ward number 102S is currently represented by AAP Councillor Wajid Khan. With the seat now reserved for women, his wife may contest from this ward. Other Congress hopefuls are also eyeing the ticket, with social media abuzz about former Okhla Congress MLA Asif Mohammad Khan reportedly planning to field his daughter, Areeba Khan, from Ward 102S.
However, the Congress leader has yet to confirm the development.
Before the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi under leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, the Congress held power for years under the leadership of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Arvind Kejriwal defeated Sheila Dikshit in the 2013 Delhi Assembly elections from the New Delhi constituency, marking a major political shift and the rise of AAP.
Sheila Dikshit, a three-time Chief Minister of Delhi, had held that seat since 1998.
Like much of the capital, Okhla — a Muslim-majority locality — was long considered a Congress stronghold. However, this changed with the rise of AAP’s Amanatullah Khan, who first defeated former Congress MLA Asif Mohammad Khan in the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections. Amanatullah secured 104,271 votes, while BJP’s Brahm Singh received 39,739 votes and Asif Muhammad Khan got 20,135 votes. Amanatullah was re-elected from Okhla, again representing AAP in 2020 by defeating Parvez Hashmi convincingly. Parvez Hashmi got 5,123 votes and BJP’s Brahm Singh got 58,540 votes.
Political analyst Javed Khan said the defeats of both Parvez Hashmi and Asif Mohammad Khan at the hands of AAP’s Amanatullah Khan marked a significant downturn in their political careers and once again the MCD poll is a chance to revive their family’s political career.
For political observers, it will be interesting to see whom the Congress chooses to field this time, as both Asif and Pervez Hashmi — longstanding and influential figures in Okhla politics — remain relevant despite the emergence of several younger leaders. For Asif, this election represents a chance to revive his political career, which has remained dormant since his defeat at the hands of Amanatullah Khan.
Among young leaders who also in the race for getting Congress ticket included Engineer Hydatullah, Advocate Aarfa Khanam, Syed Fauzul Azeem and others.
