While Delhi struggles to cope with deteriorating air quality and raging coronavirus pandemic, ruling party Aam Aadmi Party has decided to shift focus to Hyderabad municipal corporation polls. AAP is fielding wives of AAP members, some of whom have contested assembly elections and lost, for these elections. However, since the burqa clad women are hardly recognisable, AAP has decided to put images of their husbands prominently. In a true show of patriarchy, the women’s identity is reduced to being a wife of party member.
Meanwhile, one of the campaign posters of AAP candidate Asra Fatima has gone viral on social media.
Find the candidate's name.. pic.twitter.com/itB2Lavnmz
— DharmaRakshak (@oldhandhyd) November 30, 2020
As one can see, it takes a bit of an effort to find out that the candidate contesting the elections is one Asra Fatima. It is overshadowed by a big picture of her husband, Mohammad Majid. Majid’s picture is even bigger than party chief Arvind Kejriwal’s. Mohammad Majid had contested 2018 Telangana Assembly elections on AAP ticket. As per his affidavit then, his spouse was a ‘housewife’. Two years later, she is contesting elections.
However, Asra’s campaign poster has gone viral for hilarious reasons. While some could not find her name in the poster, there were quite a few who could not even find her image in the poster. Many thought she is actually a bottle of cola.
Me too feel same , I trying to finding why men name is Fatima ,why AAP using Coco cola 😂😂🤣🤣
— Phani Naidu🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@Phanind20455198) November 30, 2020
Same here
— Phani Naidu🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@Phanind20455198) November 30, 2020
Many had too many highly amusing questions related to the poster.
Some other quiz questions:
— Krish R H (@rhkrish) November 30, 2020
* How many people are in this picture?
* What is Mohd Majid holding in his hand?
* What is the spelling for Pressure Cooker?
* There are two white caps in the picture. What is it that you find below the second white cap?
* What does secret ballot mean?
And some more.
https://t.co/Lp3pI9BOhl
— Evanoruvan (@naanumpaarkuren) November 30, 2020
Pic is there. Plz vote.
Many also pointed out how this is also a trend in Kerala as well where wives are propped up as candidates and pictures of husbands are more prominently displayed.
This trend is all over Malabar regions as well https://t.co/NVbjzukPVm
— Nithin Krishna (@dhumakethu) November 30, 2020
And others pointed out how the wife is perhaps the proxy candidate for the husband.
Mohd Majid is the proxy candidate, his wife will remain behind the curtain, even if she wins. Where are woke liberals who want to smash patriarchy 😁 https://t.co/2cDmgkH6uX
— Pramod Kumar Singh (@SinghPramod2784) November 30, 2020
Earlier this year in Delhi Assembly elections, AAP dropped Jitender Singh Tomar and fielded his wife Preeti Tomar in his place. Tomar was disqualified for giving false declarations during 2015 Delhi Assembly polls.
In the same Hyderabad elections, AAP has also fielded one Farheen Begum. Along with the burqa-clad picture of Begum, her husband’s picture appears prominently on the campaign poster.
#AapkaGhmcCorporator
— AAP TELANGANA (@AAPTELANGANA) November 26, 2020
Farheen, represented by @MohdAbd66728587, a social worker is in the battle from Rahmath Nagar division, ward number 102, with serial number 9 on the ballot paper & election symbol Letter Box. Post your votes for her. She'd set up Oxygen Testing Centers 4 you. pic.twitter.com/uo2q7qrqGP
She is apparently ‘represented by one Mohammad Abdul Majeed. It is not clear whether Majeed is her husband or is campaigning on her behalf.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections will be held on 1st December 2020.
