Congress-MIM Rift Rears Its Ugly Head

The growing rift between Congress and Majis-e-Ittehadul Muslimneen has come to the fore in the State Assembly with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi moving into confrontation mode during the discussion on the SC/ST Sub-Plan Bill 2012, with each challenging the other on the minorities issue.

Intervening in the discussion, the Chief Minister said, "The secular credentials of the Congress cannot be questioned, and MIM has benefitted from the Congress by winning seven assembly seats."

Owaisi hit back saying that Congress too had benefitted from Minority votes, and that this time it would be a different ball game as we do not believe in the Congress or the main opposition TDP, indicating what is store in the next general elections.

The tension in the Old City cropped up with the Chief Minister saying that he will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands, while Akbaruddin said that the government did not follow the court directive but has behaved in manner that has hurt the sentiments of the minorities. It was not MIM but the Congress that had benefitted out of the tie-up, he said, adding that they had no pre-poll understanding but it was only a post-poll agreement.

Labour Minister D Nagender said that the secular credentials of the Congress cannot be questioned. (INN)