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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bihar polls: AIMIM plans to go solo as GA snubs its proposal for a united front
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has indicated that it may contest the 2025 Bihar assembly elections independently, taking on both the National Democratic Alliance and the Grand Alliance on their own merit. Bihar AIMIM president Akhtarul Iman (Photo from X) The move comes after the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) showed little interest in AIMIM's proposal to jointly contest the elections to oust the incumbent NDA government, led by the Janata Dal (United). 'We had approached the GA constituents with a proposal to contest the assembly election under a united front against the NDA and Bharatiya Janata Party, but they are yet to respond,' Bihar AIMIM president Akhtarul Iman told HT. He asserted that he would wait for a week more and then move forward to form a third front 'to give the people a much better alternative'. Iman, called 'Junior Owaisi' in Seemanchal, has been a mass leader in Bihar, especially in the region. 'We have a strong base in Seemanchal, not only among Muslims but also Hindus, as we have been fighting for the holistic development of Seemanchal,' Iman said. 'We are holding talks with several regional parties so that we can give people an alternative.' Earlier, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had declared Iman as the right person in Bihar to take any decision regarding contesting elections. AIMIM sources said leaders within the party are in no mood to go to polls with GA. 'AIMIM and (Prashant Kishor's) Jan Suraaj both have the same objective in Bihar — to oust both NDA and GA from power,' a young AIMIM leader told HT. In the 2020 assembly elections, AIMIM won five seats out of the 20 it had contested — all in the Seemanchal region where Muslims constitute a major part of the electorate. However, two years later in 2022, four of its MLAs switched camps and joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), reducing its tally in the assembly to just one. In the previous state polls, the AIMIM had joined hands with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party, Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP, with BSP securing one. 'AIMIM's gain will be the RJD's loss as Muslims are believed to be the traditional voters of RJD,' an RJD leader told HT requesting anonymity. 'AIMIM has a strong base in Seemanchal, comprising Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar and Purnia, with Muslim populations ranging from 30% to 70% and the party has already shown its might during the 2020 assembly elections when the RJD was prevented from coming into power. It is going to repeat this year as well if the party contests the poll independently,' political observers said.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
AIMIM likely to form third front in poll-bound Bihar
PATNA: Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) said that it would form third front ahead of Bihar assembly elections in the absence of a positive response from the Opposition INDIA bloc on alignment with AIMIM. AIMIM state president Akhtarul Iman said that he was hopeful of positive response from INDIA bloc on alignment with AIMIM to defeat the BJP-led NDA in state assembly elections. 'Discussions were held on the matter, but there is no further development,' he told the media. However, he asserted that the INDIA bloc would not be able to dethrone the NDA in Bihar if the division of secular votes was not stopped. 'A stronger alliance is required to defeat NDA in the upcoming assembly elections in the State,' the AIMIM state president said. In response to a media query, he said that AIMIM was not invited to the meeting of the INDIA bloc subcommittee held in the state capital on June 30 to discuss the release of a common election manifesto.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
AIMIM To Join Team Opposition In Bihar Polls? What Asaduddin Owaisi Said
New Delhi: As the political temperature in Bihar rises months ahead of the Assembly polls, the NDA and the Opposition camp are holding frenetic negotiations over seat-sharing. Against this backdrop, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi has said he does not want an NDA government in Bihar and the party has spoken to leaders in the RJD-Congress Mahagathbandhan on the alliance subject. The Hyderabad MP pointed out that "nothing came out" of similar attempts in the last election. The Congress has, in the past, accused the AIMIM of being the BJP's 'B team' and said its contesting polls indirectly helps the BJP. It is also significant that Mr Owaisi's support base in the minority community can potentially upset the Muslim-Yadav combination RJD relies on. Also, Mr Owaisi had gained huge popularity over his public remarks in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor and this can potentially benefit the AIMIM in this election. In an interview with news agency ANI, Mr Owaisi said AIMIM's Bihar unit chief Akhtarul Iman has spoken to leaders of Mahagathbandhan. "Our state president, Akhtarul Iman, has spoken to some leaders in the Mahagathbandhan, and he has categorically stated that we do not want the BJP or NDA to come back in power in Bihar. Now it is up to these political parties that want to prevent the NDA from returning to power in Bihar. Five years ago, I had also tried it personally. Nothing came out of it." "This time, our state president is trying. But it is up to them. We will be contesting elections in Seemanchal and outside Seemanchal also. If they are not ready, I am ready to contest everywhere. Wait for the time to come. It is too early to announce the exact number (of seats)," he said. In the 2020 polls, AIMIM surprised by winning five of the 20 seats it contested. Four of its MLAs later joined RJD, but the poll performance still showed the party had gained political heft in Bihar. The AIMIM contesting separately has the potential to harm the Opposition alliance by splitting the minority vote, a key factor in the election. The BJP-JDU is looking to retain power in the upcoming polls, as smaller allies such as Chiraj Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) are posturing to crack a good seat-sharing deal. The RJD and the Congress, on the other hand, will be looking to return to power. Jan Suraaj, a political front led by former poll strategist Prashant Kishor, is also in the fight this time.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'It's up to them': Owaisi keen on joining Mahagathbandhan in Bihar; says NDA must go
NEW DELHI: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has expressed keenness to join the Mahagathbandhan alliance and contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections together "to prevent the BJP-led NDA from returning to power." Owaisi, however, said that he tried to enter the opposition alliance in 2020, but talks fell through. "Our state president, Akhtarul Iman, has spoken to some leaders in the Mahagathbandhan and has categorically stated that we do not want the BJP or NDA to come back to power in Bihar. Now, it is up to these political parties that also want to prevent the NDA's return. Five years ago, I had also tried personally, but nothing came out of it," Owaisi said. "This time too, our state president is making an effort. But it is up to them. We will be contesting elections in Seemanchal and outside Seemanchal as well. If they are not ready, I am prepared to contest everywhere. Wait for the right time — it is too early to announce the exact number of seats," he added. Earlier, party state president and sole MLA Akhtarul Iman said that the party has conveyed its willingness to both RJD chief Lalu Prasad and the Congress leadership. "We are waiting for their response. We are ready to bury the hatchet despite the fact that the RJD took away our four MLAs. We want to move past these issues to achieve the bigger goal of defeating the NDA," he said. "Like-minded people must come under one umbrella if we are to oust the NDA from power in Bihar. The RJD and Congress might be interested in power, but our intent is to fight for justice," he added. In the 2020 assembly elections, AIMIM altered the political dynamics in the state after winning five seats in the Seemanchal region. The party contested 14 of its 20 seats in the state as part of the Grand Democratic Secular Front (GDSF) and won five: Amour, Jokihat, Bahadurganj, Baisi, and Kochadhaman. The region holds strategic importance for the Mahagathbandhan's ambitions to form the government, as both the Congress and RJD have traditionally relied on strong support from the Yadav and Muslim communities. Later in 2022, four of AIMIM's five MLAs joined RJD. AIMIM was subsequently blamed by both the Congress and the RJD for splitting the "secular" vote. The assembly election is scheduled for the end of the year, where a high-stakes battle is expected. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA)- consisting of the Janata Dal (United) led by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and the Bharatiya Janata Party — will face off against the Mahagathbandhan, which includes the Congress, RJD and Left parties.
The Print
05-06-2025
- 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
