(This story was originally published on 23 November. It has been republished from The Quint's archives.)
This ongoing election in Telangana has become one of the most challenging electoral battles for All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi.
The challenge isn't so much in the seats that the AIMIM is contesting - ground reports suggest that the party is well placed in most of the seven seats it had won last time in Hyderabad's Old City.
It is the bigger picture in the state that has become the main challenge for the AIMIM - party wants to ensure that the Bharat Rashtriya Samithi (BRS) gets a clear majority in Telangana.
This election is also witnessing some of the most bitter exchanges between the Congress and the AIMIM.
On one hand Telangana Congress chief A Revanth Reddy accused Asaduddin Owaisi of having "khaki knickers under his sherwani", Owaisi responded by reminding Congress of Reddy's past - in his initial days, he was part of the RSS' student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.
Owaisi also flagged how some Congress leaders - like MP unit chief Kamal Nath - openly support the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Both these factors are manifesting themselves at the constituency level as well.