Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Keen To Contest Lok Sabha Elections From Mumbai, Says AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Imtiaz Jaleel on Friday said he is keen to contest from Mumbai in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as it will help the party expand its presence in other areas.

Jaleel, who won from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (earlier Aurangabad) in 2019, told a news channel that AIMIM is often labelled as the 'B team of BJP' but so many people (from other parties) are "now sitting on its lap".

"We are confident of winning in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Then why should we not try to spread our base in other areas," he said, expressing his wish to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Mumbai.

"I'll discuss my (Mumbai) plan with party chief Asaduddin Owaisi when we meet in Akola on February 18," he said.

Earlier, AIMIM's Maharashtra working president Dr Abdul Gaffar Quadri said the party is planning to contest five out of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including North Mumbai, Dhule, Nanded, Bhiwandi and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar seats.

The party is currently conducting surveys in these constituencies to formulate an effective electoral strategy, he said.

Currently, Jaleel is the sole AIMIM MP in Maharashtra, while the party has two MLAs — Faruk Shah from Dhule City and Mufti Mohammed Ismail from Malegaon Central.