Asaduddin Owaisi (born 13 May 1969) is an Indian politician who is serving as the third and current president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

For years, he has been regularly listed by Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC), among the 500 Most Influential Muslims of the world.

[20] Asaduddin is the third national president of the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party in India, previously his father and grandfather.

[citation needed] Asaduddin made his political debut in 1994 in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election.

In the 1999 election, he defeated his nearest rival Telugu Desam Party candidate Syed Shah Noorul Haq Quadri by 93 thousand votes.

In 2008, the Left Front (which consisted of Communist Parties) withdrew their support to the central government of India which was led by the United Progressive Alliance.

[42] He was elected from the constituency once again by defeating his nearest rival Bharatiya Janata Party's Bhagvanth Rao by a margin of 197 thousand votes.

[43] Owaisi announced that his party AIMIM would contest the 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly election from mainly from the Muslim dominated area of Seemanchal region of the state.

[46] Owaisi, who filed his nomination for Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency for 4th time declared assets worth over Rs 13 crore but claims to own no vehicle.

His consistent involvement in debates and his active participation in raising important questions have distinguished him as a leading figure among Muslim MPs.

[20] In the aftermath of 2008 Mumbai attacks, Owaisi demanded action against Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed for killing innocent people.

[65] In August 2016, Asaduddin Owaisi expressed his displeasure at the centre for inclusion of the Ahmadiyya community as a sect of Islam in 2011 Census of India, in a series of tweets.

"[70][71][72] Owaisi said that Muslim men divorcing their wife through instant triple talaq without reasons, must be socially boycotted, but said that the practice still exists.

[75] In June 2019, Owaisi said that Rahul Gandhi won from Wayanad (Lok Sabha constituency) due to 40% Muslim population.

[76] On 17 November 2021 Owaisi filed a complaint against former chairman of the Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh, Syed Waseem Rizvi over a book written by the latter that he said had objectionable statements on Muhammad.

In 2019, India's Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy said that most of the country's terrorist incidents can be traced back to Hyderabad.

[81] In 2016, Owaisi was arrested for sedition after providing legal aid to five members of a so-called Islamic State terrorist cell.

The complaint, filed to the Eleventh Metropolitan Magistrate court accused Owaisi of, "directly or indirectly helping the ISIS".

[82] BJP MLA for the Goshamahal assembly constituency in Hyderabad T. Raja Singh also stated that as per the Haren Pandya case of Gujarat, the accused were from Hyderabad consistency and 12 ISIS terrorists have also been caught from his (Owaisi's) constituency; Singh also accused Owaisi of financially supporting terrorists in the region.

[84] Following Owaisi's complaint, some members of the Muslim community in Telangana, Hyderabad hung and burned an effigy of Waseem in protest.

[87] In March 2016, while addressing a public rally in Maharashtra, Owaisi said that he would never say the slogan Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Hail mother India) in response to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's comment that the new generation needs to be taught to chant slogans hailing mother India; the comment was a reference to the 2016 JNU sedition controversy.

The case related to an MIM protest on 16 April 2005 against the demolition of a mosque for a road-widening project in Medak district; police booked him under various charges including criminal intimidation, rioting, and promoting enmity between religious groups.

[97] In 2009, a case was registered against Owaisi on the order of Election Commission of India for chasing and beating up Syed Saleemuddin, a polling agent of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the Moghalpura area.

[100] In June 2014, Owaisi is said to have delivered hate speech against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in seeking the Muslim community's support for his party.

[103][104] On 7 February 2016, Owaisi surrendered before Hyderabad police and was later granted bail[105] for an assault by a mob that he allegedly led, carried out against Telangana Indian National Congress legislators.

His close aide and AIMIM Party social media head, Syed Abdahu Kashaf, assaulted the congress MLC and leader of the opposition Shabbir Ali.

[107] In the mock court television talk show, Aap Ki Adalat on India TV, Owaisi was 'tried' and answered questions on his politics, controversies, and statements put forward by the host Rajat Sharma before the 2014 elections.