Councillor Shoaib’s political journey, his exclusive interview
Ward number 100 (Zakir Nagar) councillor Shoaib Danish is a busy man this day. He is getting ready to visit his locality to get issues addressed as he is preparing to contest election for the fourth time in the upcoming MCD election in 20222.
Javed Khan spoke with him at his residence in Batla House days ago, putting to him questions send to the OT by its readers. In a free-wheeling interview, Danish patiently answered all questions. You can watch the interview.
He is a sitting councillor and faces tough competition from the Opposition to retain his seat and if he wins for the fourth time, he would be making history in the locality and could easily become a strong contender for MLA ticket from the Congress party from Okhla in the Assembly Delhi election which is years ago, said a political observer.
Danish, 56, is a Jamia Millia Islamia alumnus. He was active in politics from his university time as he was elected president of Jamia Students’ Union. After completing his study from the Central university in 1988, he stayed in active politics and became councilor for the first time in 2007 from Zakir Nagar and Batla House area. In 2003 he lost election and since then he has been winning hands down facing a tough fight with AAP leader Mahmood Ahmed. Then Danish was lucky to retain his seat with a small margin of some thousand votes.
Danish is an ambitious leader who unsuccessfully contested for MLA in Assembly elections on JDU ticket. But after defeat, he came to the Congress fold.
Before joining Jamia school from Class XI, Danish studied in Okhla school.
His father came from Budaun in Uttar Pradesh at a time when Okhla was not so densely populated. The family resided in Mahboob Nagar then later to shift in Zakir Nagar.
Danish has 6 children, including 4 girls and 2 boys, all well settled. Like father, nobody is in politics, he said.