In Hyderabad, the first list of BRS candidates includes one sitting MLA from Bodhan Mohammed Shakeel Aamir, as well as two other candidates from Charminar and Bahadurpura in the Old City. Both Charminar and Bahadurpura are strongholds of AIMIM, and there may be friendly fights between BRS and AIMIM candidates due to their alliance. Inayat Ali Baqri, who served as SETWIN chairman, previously contested in 2018 and received 14,475 votes. Shakeel Aamir was the only candidate from the ruling party in 2018 and won with 74,895 votes.
The decision to limit the number of seats and allocate them to “dummy” candidates has faced criticism from the community. The Muslim population in Telangana is approximately 12 to 14 percent, and people argue that Muslims should have a fair share of political representation, especially considering their role in the separate Telangana movement. Khalida Parveen, a socio-political activist with a significant following, expressed her disappointment with this decision and tagged the Chief Minister in her post.
