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The Print
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Secular card, Seemanchal link & other factors in Bihar as Owaisi's AIMIM seeks tie-up with RJD
'We want to show our sincerity towards fighting the polls together with the Mahagathbandhan. Now, the ball is in their court.' All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's Bihar president Akhtarul Iman told ThePrint he has approached both the Mahagathbandhan allies to contest the polls together so there is no split in secular votes and the AIMIM is not dubbed as a B-team of the BJP. New Delhi: The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM, four of whose five MLAs elected in the 2020 Bihar assembly elections had defected to the RJD, has sent feelers to the Lalu Yadav-led party and the Congress to join their Mahagathbandhan in the 'larger interest of secular' parties in the poll-bound state. 'The RJD has taken away our MLAs. But we are ready to forget that and start afresh. If they do not accept our offer they cannot later say we divided Muslim votes. We are ready to contest more than 50 seats in our stronghold areas and Seemanchal,' he said. The AIMIM contested the 2020 assembly polls in alliance with the Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samta Party and the BSP. The Owaisi-led party created a flutter as it won five of the 20 seats it contested, securing 14.28 percent votes in total in those seats. Asked about the AIMIM's willingness to join the alliance now, RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said, 'The people of Bihar have decided to make Tejashwi Yadav chief minister. Lalu Prasad has fought communal forces throughout his life. He never compromised. Some 'vote katua' party (a party that does not a have realistic chance of winning but contests polls just to cut into other parties' votes) cannot harm people's aspiration. They (AIMIM) has expressed desire, the party will look into it.' The five seats the AIMIM won in 2020 are in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal districts of Araria, Purnea, Katihar and Kishanganj. The BSP won only one seat out of 78 it contested, but the RLSP failed to open its account despite contesting 99. However, four AIMIM MLAs—Muhammed Izhar Asfi (Kochadamam), Shahnawaz Alam (Jokihat), Syed Ruknuddin (Baisi) and Azhar Nayeemi (Bahadurgunj)— switched over to the RJD in June 2022, leaving Amour MLA Iman as the lone party representative in the assembly. Also Read: Family matters in Bihar's Dalit politics—Manjhis to Paswans, how kin are rising up the ladder The Seemanchal story Bihar's Seemanchal region, bordering West Bengal, is dominated by Muslim population. Kishanganj district has 67 percent Muslim voters, Katihar 38 percent, Araria 32 percent and Purnia 30 percent. The AIMIM performed well in Muslim-dominated constituencies in 2020, which, many argued, cut into the RJD's and the Congress's traditional voter base, thus benefitting the BJP and its NDA ally JD(U). When the results were announced 10 November 2020, the NDA won a majority in the 243-seat assembly, but its tally of 125 was only marginally above the majority mark of 122. In those elections, the RJD contested 144 seats and won 75, emerging as the single largest party. Among its Mahagathbandhan allies, the Congress contested 70 seats and won 19, CPI-ML fought on 19 seats and won 12, and the CPI contested six and won two. The CPM contested four seats and won two. The alliance won 110 seats in total. The grouping's composition has changed since. The Mukesh Sahni-led Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP)—which contested 11 seats in the 2020 polls as an NDA partner and won four—has joined the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan now. Pashupati Kumar Paras-led Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) also quit the NDA in April and, according to sources, he too is knocking at the door of the Mahagathbandhan to join the alliance. Also Read: Chirag targets Nitish over Muzaffarpur case, flags 'breakdown' in Bihar law & order, healthcare Seat-sharing major roadblock Sources say the AIMIM is demanding 20-25 seats in the Mahagathbandhan which can prove to be the deal-breaker. 'The main problem is how to accommodate these many partners,' said a source in the RJD. 'The AIMIM is demanding 25 seats and the RJD cannot offer more than 10. The RJD is willing to give 50 to the Congress, 20 fewer than what it got in 2020, and the Left parties can get 30. The VIP can get 8 to 10 seats. But, the Congress is demanding more, and so are the Left parties,' he added. Meanwhile, Akhtarul Iman told ThePrint he has spoken to his party president Owaisi about the state unit's desire and he 'gave us full freedom to initiate talks with the RJD and the Congress'. He said he has reached out to Tejashwi Yadav through some RJD MLAs, and if they show a 'big heart' there will be no split of votes in the Muslim-dominated constituencies. He said the AIMIM had requested to join the Mahagathbandhan in the 2020 elections too, 'but the RJD did not send any confirmation and we fought separately'. 'It is another attempt from our end to forge an alliance so later they cannot call us a B team of the BJP,' he said. Also Read: No permanent peace as long as Pakistan uses its territory for terrorism against India, says Owaisi 'No vote katua' Owaisi has always vehemently rejected any attempt to dub his party as vote 'katua'. After the results were announced in 2020, he had said that on the 20 seats his party contested, the Mahagathbandhan won the maximum nine, while the NDA won six and his party just five. On all these six seats—Raniganj, Pranpur, Barari, Sahebganj, Narpatganj and Chhatapur—the victory margins for NDA candidates were higher than the votes polled by the AIMIM candidates, indicating the AIMIM did not particularly harm the prospects of Mahagathbandhan candidates. And the margins were significantly higher on three of these seats—Sahebganj, Narpatganj and Chhatapur. In the 2015 polls, the AIMIM contested six seats, all in the Seemanchal region. Its candidates suffered heavy defeats, with only one managing to save his deposit. They AIMIM argues it did not harm Mahagathbandhan's secular votes then either as five of the six seats it contested—Kishanganj, Baisi, Amour, Kochadhaman and Raniganj —were won by the candidates of the then Congress-RJD-Janata Dal (United) alliance. The sixth seat, Balrampur, was won by the CPI-ML. D.M. Diwakar, a former head of Patna's AN Sinha Institute, said Muslim voters make their decisions wisely. 'There is no doubt that Muslims know where to vote and how not to waste their votes. The RJD has much bigger traction than the AIMIM among the Muslims. But Owaisi is a hero among the youths and he can spoil it (for the RJD) in the Seemanchal area like in 2020 as he has taken a strong position on the Waqf bill. But if they fight together, the NDA might suffer.' Addressing a rally 3 May in the Seemanchal region, Owaisi urged people to teach a lesson to the NDA and the RJD in the upcoming polls. He claimed his party would win all 24 seats in the Seemanchal region this time. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Why is toddy politics fermenting churn in 'dry' state Bihar? Answer lies in UP's Lok Sabha results
Mint
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Bihar Election 2025: Will Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM join Opposition's INDIA bloc?
Bihar Election 2025: Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is looking to join the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar for the upcoming Assembly elections. The Congress and the left parties are part of the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance, apart from the RJD led by Lalu Prasad Yadav. The AIMIM leaders in Bihar have been in touch with the RJD leaders, according to a report in The Indian Express. The Mahagathbandhan in Bihar is part of INDIA bloc alliance – an amalgamation of opposition parties forged against BJP-led National Democratic Alliance ahead of 2024 general elections. 'We are interested in having an alliance with the Mahagathbandhan. We are very positive about forging it. Our ideology is to defeat the BJP and empower Bihar. Our fight with the BJP is the same as Congress's fight. We want the grand alliance to take AIMIM on board,' AIMIM national spokesperson Adil Hasan told The Indian Express. The Hyderabad MP's party has so far maintained a distance from the Opposition INDIA bloc. In fact, the Mahagathbandhan parties used to call AIMIM as 'BJP's B team', alleging that it was playing the role of 'votekatwa (vote-cutter)' for the grand alliance. Owaisi has rejected these allegations as baseless. In the 2020 assembly polls, when AIMIM was part of a 'third front with the BSP and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), it won five of the 20 seats it contested and bagged 14.28 per cent of the votes polled in the 20 seats. All five seats won by AIMIM were in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region in east Bihar. Two years later, four of these five AIMIM MLAs, however, defected to the RJD. For now, AIMIM plans to contest over 50 Assembly seats out of 243 in the upcoming Bihar polls. However, the Indian Express report, quoting sources, said the party is flexible and will contest fewer seats if the RJD and the Congress agree to accommodate it. 'AIMIM has performed well in the past polls. And we have already supported the Opposition alliance on a number of occasions – in the Speaker's election and on Bills brought by the NDA government,' Hasan said. There has not been any formal discussion of the AIMIM leaders with the RJD and Congress leaders for the alliance so far. Besides the five seats which it had won in 2020, the party would like to contest from several seats across the regions of Mithilanchal, Champaran, Shahabad, Magadh and Bhagalpur, where it claims to have developed its organisation in the last five years. We are interested in having an alliance with the Mahagathbandhan. Our ideology is to defeat the BJP and empower Bihar. In his recent visit to Bihar, the AIMIM chief attacked the ruling BJP, the JD(U) and the RJD.
Mint
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Bihar Election 2025: Will Asaduddin Owaisi join Opposition's India bloc?
Bihar Election 2025: Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is looking to join the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar for the upcoming Assembly elections. The Congress and the left parties are part of the Mahagathbandhan, apart form the RJD led by Lalu Prasad Yadav. The AIMIM leaders in Bihar have been in touch with the RJD leaders, according to a report in The Indian Express. 'We are interested in having an alliance with the Mahagathbandhan. We are very positive about forging it. Our ideology is to defeat the BJP and empower Bihar. Our fight with the BJP is same as Congress's. We want the grand alliance to take AIMIM on board,' AIMIM national spokesperson Adil Hasan told The Indian Express. The Hyderabad MP's party has so far maintained a distance from the Opposition INDIA bloc. In fact, the Mahagathbandhan parties used to call AIMIM as 'BJP's B team', alleging that it was playing the role of 'votekatwa (vote-cutter)' for the grand alliance. Owaisi has rejected these allegations as baseless. In 2020 assembly polls, when AIMIM was part of a 'third front with the BSP and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), it won five of the 20 seats it contested and bagged 14.28 per cent of the votes polled in thee 20 seats. All five seats won by AIMIM were in Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region in east Bihar. Two years later, four of these five AIMIM MLAs, however, defected to the RJD. For now, AIMIM plans to contest over 50 Assembly seats out of 243 in the upcoming Bihar polls. But the party is flexible to contest fewer seats if the RJD and the Congress agree to accommodate it, The Indian Express report said quoting sources. 'AIMIM has performed well in the past polls. And we have already supported the Opposition alliance on a number of occasions – in the Speaker's election and on Bills brought by the NDA government,' Hasan said. There has not been any formal discussion of the AIMIM leaders with the RJD and Congress leaders for the alliance so far. Besides the five seats which it had won in 2020, the party would like to contest from several seats across the regions of Mithilanchal, Champaran, Shahabad, Magadh and Bhagalpur, where it claims to have developed its organisation in the last five years. We are interested in having an alliance with the Mahagathbandhan. Our ideology is to defeat the BJP and empower Bihar. In his recent visit to Bihar, the AIMIM chief attacked the ruling BJP, the JD(U) and the RJD Owaisi reached Bahrain on Saturday as part of a multi-nation visit by a delegation of Indian parliamentarians, seeking to engage foreign governments on India's stance against terrorism post Operation Sindoor.
Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
AIMIM keen to join Mahagathbandhan as Owaisi eyes bigger role in Bihar polls
After maintaining a distance from the Opposition INDIA bloc so far, Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is now looking to join the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar for the state Assembly elections due in October-November this year. Besides the RJD led by Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the Opposition Mahagathbandhan comprises the Congress and the Left parties. The AIMIM leaders in Bihar have been in touch with the RJD leaders. 'We are interested in having an alliance with the Mahagathbandhan. We are very positive about forging it. Our ideology is to defeat the BJP and empower Bihar. Our fight with the BJP is same as Congress's. We want the grand alliance to take AIMIM on board,' AIMIM national spokesperson Adil Hasan told The Indian Express. Although the AIMIM has planned to contest over 50 Assembly seats out of 243 in the upcoming Bihar polls, the party is flexible in choosing its seats and would be ready to contest fewer seats if the RJD and the Congress agree to accommodate it, party sources said. The AIMIM seems to be buoyed by its performance in the 2020 state Assembly polls, when it had formed a 'third front with the BSP and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP). The AIMIM had then created a flutter by winning five of the 20 seats it contested. The party had garnered 14.28% of the votes polled in these 20 seats. The BSP could win only one seat out of 78 seats it contested, while the RLSP failed to open its account despite contesting 99 seats. All the five seats that the AIMIM had won fall in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region in east Bihar, which encompasses four districts including Araria, Purnea, Katihar and Kishanganj. 'AIMIM has performed well in the past polls. And we have already supported the Opposition alliance on a number of occasions – in the Speaker's election and on Bills brought by the NDA government,' Hasan said. In June 2022, however, the AIMIM suffered a blow when four of its five MLAs — Muhammed Izhar Asfi (Kochadamam), Shahnawaz Alam (Jokihat), Syed Ruknuddin (Baisi) and Azhar Nayeemi (Bahadurganj) — defected to the RJD. State AIMIM president Akhtarul Iman is currently the party's lone MLA (Amour), who has continued to owe allegiance to Owaisi. On the question of an alliance with the Mahagathbandhan, Iman told The Indian Express: 'We have put up a proposal that if you want to weaken the communal forces, then like-minded parties against them should come together. We want our participation. We have presented this proposal before Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. But nothing can be confirmed until things are finalised.' Hasan admitted that the AIMIM leaders have not held any formal discussion with the RJD and Congress leaders for the alliance so far. 'But when these leaders meet in Assembly, they suggest we should contest together. AIMIM too says that we are ready. But RJD will have to take a call on the issue,' Hasan said. Bihar RJD spokesperson Nawal Kishore, however, claimed that he did not have any information about the AIMIM's proposal to join the grand alliance. Bihar Congress spokesperson Prem Chandra Mishra also echoed Kishore's statement, saying he had no such such information. AIMIM sources said that besides the five seats which it had won in 2020, the party would like to contest from several seats across the regions of Mithilanchal, Champaran, Shahabad, Magadh and Bhagalpur, where it claims to have developed its organisation in the last five years. In the event of the AIMIM being not inducted into the grand alliance, the party has planned to contest over 50 seats on its own. Hasan said the party has declared two candidates so far — Rana Ranjeet Singh, a Rajput leader, from Dhaka seat in Champaran district in west Bihar and Tausif Alam from Bahadurganj in Seemanchal. Iman may contest from his Amour constituency or any other seat. 'We are trying to forge this alliance. But if does not happen, RJD will be responsible for it. In that situation we will reach out to Muslim organisations of Bihar,' Hasan said. Owaisi has been leading his party's bid to make inroads in Bihar, especially the Seemanchal region. Wary of the AIMIM's foray into the state, the Mahagathbandhan had earlier called the party the 'BJP's B team', alleging that it was playing the role of 'votekatwa (vote-cutter)' and 'spoiler' for the grand alliance — allegations that Owaisi has rejected as baseless. During his recent visit to Bihar, the AIMIM chief attacked the ruling BJP and JD(U), but even targeted the RJD. However, he remained soft on the Congress. Addressing a rally in Bahadurganj on May 3, Owaisi slammed four party MLAs who had switched to the RJD, claiming that '4 bhage to 24 aayenge (If four MLAs jumped ship, we will have 24 MLAs this time)' and that his party's fight for the cause of the backward Seemanchal region will continue. Taking a swipe at the RJD, he claimed the party will have to eventually reach out to the AIMIM MLAs for support. Addressing a public meeting in Dhaka on May 4, where he spoke at length against the Waqf Amendment Act, Owaisi urged the people to teach a lesson to the NDA as well as the RJD in the upcoming polls. 'Owaisi sahab targeted RJD too because RJD ruled Bihar for a long period but did nothing for its growth, especially in Seemanchal. People were left with no choice but to migrate to other states for jobs,' said an AIMIM leader.
