AIMIM contests polls on basis of performance; not demographics: Owaisi

Slamming the Congress and the BJP, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi Tuesday said his party contests polls on the basis of its performance and not demographic composition of a constituency.

The AIMIM president was alluding to the debate about the demographic composition in Wayanad in Kerala from where Congress president Rahul Gandhi is contesting the Lok Sabha polls.

"It (AIMIM) ensured construction of schools, colleges & basthi dawakhanas. Majlis stood by our Hindu sisters who are victim to the cruel social evil of abandonment without divorce," Owaisi said in a tweet.

"Majlis contests its elections on its record of five years, not the demographics of Varanasi or Wayanad," said Owaisi, who is seeking re-election from Hyderabad.

Varanasi is the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing a rally in Wardha, Maharashtra, on Monday, the prime minister said the Congress was scared to field its leaders from constituencies where the majority dominates in terms of voter-base. He, however, did not name Gandhi.

Wayanad has a significant Muslim and Christian population.

The Congress announced on Sunday that the Gandhi scion would contest from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, besides his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

All 17 Lok Sabha constituencies of Telangana will poll in the first phase of general elections on April 11.

Besides Hyderabad, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is contesting in Aurangabad in Maharashtra and Kishangunj in Bihar.

The AIMIM is an ally of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi in Telangana and Owaisi has sought the victory of TRS in the remaining 16 Lok Sabha seats in the state.