The old city politics are changing. Mohammed Pahelwan the key accused in the MIM Legislator Akbaruddin murder attempt case is being lured by the politics parties it is reported. The Congress party is looking at Pahelwan to contest from old city against the top MIM leaders it is learnt. Since Pahelwan was released from the Jail and that a clean chit has been given to him makes him a hot contender against the MIM brothers.
It is reported that the BJP is also thinking to encourage Pahelwan against the MIM leaders. There is a thinking by the political parties, that the pahelwan must contest as an MLA or an MP. The BJP leaders think that pahelwan will be a best bet against Akbar or Asad to divide the Muslim votes.
Mohammed Pahelwan, the man who was suspected of being the force behind Saturday’s attack on MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, was a young wrestler in the late 1980s. But in the cloak and dagger politics of the Old City, he was a nonentity. A milk supplier, he struggled to make ends meet.
Though hot-headed, Pahelwan was liked in his neighbourhood. His penchant for a fight was noticed by MIM leaders who thought he would be handy in settling local disputes. They took him into the party fold. Pahelwan stayed loyal to Akbaruddin till a few years ago.
Those who know Pahelwan well say he was a dedicated and committed worker of the MIM and shared a good rapport with the late Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi and his sons Asaduddin and Akbaruddin.
Pahelwan, 50, lived at Erragadda in the 1970s. In the 1980s the family shifted to Barkas where they used to sell milk to eke out a livelihood. Pahelwan was well known in the locality as he was a wrestler.
One day, a senior MIM leader, who came to know about Pahelwan’s ‘qualities’ spotted him and invited him to join the party. The next few years saw Pahelwan grow in terms of money and power — all under the umbrella of the MIM.
‘During the elections, he used to be active in the campaigning. Being a wrestler, he could get things done. Besides campaigning, he was put to use in settling land disputes. He began making money and his lifestyle changed. He purchased a few properties,’ a police official said.
Though investigators describe attack on Akbaruddin as ‘daring’ since it took place in a MIM stronghold where few would dare touch the junior Owaisi, daring acts are not new to Pahelwan. Serious differences cropped up between Pahelwan and MIM reportedly over land deals.
Now it has to be seen which party would this Pahelwan join and how he would tackle the MIM leaders in the near future.
The MIM leaders will not disturb him as the elections are nearing. They would like to win the elections, rather than settling scores with the pahelwan.
