Intense lobbying on for next Wakf Board Chairman

Intense behind the scene activity is taking place at the Muslim Wakf Board over the elections of the next Chairman.

This intense activity comes just a day after a new Chief Executive Officer was named for the Wakf Board, estimated to be entrusted with properties of Muslims worth between seven to eight lakh crore rupees.

The Wakf Board had been languishing without an administrative head since the past three months when the government on Tuesday notified the appointment of Mohammed Habeebuddin Ahmed as the CEO.

Mr Habeebuddin Ahmed immediately took charge, clearing the way for the election of the next Wakf Board chairman.

Incidentally, the Wakf Board was without a chairman after Ilyas Sait resigned seven months ago, after ruling party Legislators and workers misbehaved with him. His resignation was immediately accepted by Chief Minister K Rosaiah.

According to sources, there is intense competition between former Lok Sabha member from Hindupur Colonel Mohamed Nizamuddin and the Board member Syed Shah Ghulam Afzal Khusro Biyabani to become the next Chairman.

Mr Khusro Biyabani is believed to have the support of a majority of Ministers, Legislators and senior Congress leaders from Telangana since he hails from Warangal.

On the other hand, Colonel Nizamuddin, who hails from Rayalaseema, does not have the support of the people from his region. He not only has to deal with the Telangana lobby on his own, but is also believed to be opposed by Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal.

Mr Rajagopal’s opposition is believed to have already cost Colonel Nizamuddin the renomination for the Hindupur LS seat.

Their adversity goes back to the days when a Parliamentary Standing Committee, with Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan, visited the state on a fact finding mission. Colonel Nizamuddin is believed to have prevailed on the Panel to also inspect Mr Rajagopal’s Lanco Group business dealings.

This incident had led Mr Rajagopal to develop and nurse a grudge against the former Hindupur MP.

In another setback to Colonel Nizamuddin, a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the state High Court on Tuesday by one Mr Fareeduddin from Guntur and Mr Farees from Hyderabad, seeking removal of Colonel Nizamuddin and former Guntur MLA Shaik Subhani from the Board membership, since they were nominated as members during their Legislature period. The PIL argues that since the two are no longer Legislators, they should be removed from the Board membership.

On the other hand, Colonel Nizamuddin is believed to have the tacit support of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, which has four members on the Board.

Only ten of the eleven members of the Board have the right to vote during the election for the chairman since one member is nominated by the government. Colonel Nizamuddin is now relying on these four MIM votes besides his own, and is reported to be earnestly lobbying for one more vote so that his dream of becoming the chairman of the Wakf Board is realized.