Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi

Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi (February 14, 1931 – September 29, 2008) was an Indian politician from the city of Hyderabad. He served as the Member of Parliament from Hyderabad for six consecutive terms until stepping down in 2004 in favour of his elder son Asaduddin Owaisi. Akbaruddin Owaisi the second son of Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi is a member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly from the Chandrayangutta Assembly constituency. His father, Abdul Wahed Owaisi was the president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen till his death. In 1976, Salahuddin Owaisi took over the presidency of the Majlis after his father's death.

Salahuddin Owaisi, also known as “Salar-e-Millat”, repeatedly alleged in his speeches that the Indian state had “abandoned” the Muslims to their fate. Therefore, “Muslims should stand on their own feet, rather than look to the State for help'’, he argued. Owaisi was considered to be the strongest person in Hyderabad politics as his power extended till the borders of Andhra Pradesh. Muslims in the State rallied behind him and he was considered to be the man who could tilt the Muslim vote bank in Andhra pradesh to whichever Party he felt like supporting. He was considered to be the most prominent Muslim Leader in Hyderabad.