No Word On INDIA Bloc Invite, Asaduddin Owaisi To Start Solo Bihar Campaign

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi is set to launch his Bihar election campaign through a three-day 'Seemanchal Nyay Yatra' beginning Tuesday.

New Delhi:

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi will commence preparations for the upcoming Bihar elections independently, despite his initial interest in joining the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress. With elections likely in November, Owaisi has decided to proceed solo following the absence of a positive response from the alliance.

In a conversation with NDTV, Mr. Owaisi revealed he had reached out to the RJD three times without receiving any reply. "Akhtarul Iman sent two letters to Lalu Prasad Yadav and a final one to Tejashwi Yadav... we expressed willingness to contest just six seats without even requesting ministerial positions. What more could we offer?"

Sources within the RJD indicate concerns that allowing AIMIM representation in Seemanchal now might lead to future demands for seats in other Muslim-majority regions, including Darbhanga and Madhubani. They also emphasized that Muslims already constitute a significant portion of their voter base.

Additional reports suggest the RJD fears that including AIMIM in the Mahagathbandhan could enable the BJP to frame the electoral contest as a religious divide between Hindus and Muslims.

During the 2020 Bihar elections, AIMIM contested 25 seats and secured victories in five constituencies: Amour, Kochadaman, Baisi, Jokihat, and Bahadurganj, predominantly located in the Muslim-majority Seemanchal region. Although the party failed to win any seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it maintained its presence in the Seemanchal area.

Sources reveal that Owaisi intends to expand AIMIM's electoral footprint beyond those 25 seats in the upcoming election, capitalizing on local discontent and new social workers joining his party.

If negotiations between the RJD, Congress, and AIMIM ultimately fail, this situation could potentially divide the Muslim vote in Seemanchal, significantly impacting Bihar's 2025 political landscape.

Notably, the AIMIM currently offers issue-based support to the Congress government in Telangana.

The upcoming yatra will feature roadshows and community meetings, beginning in Kishanganj with the goal of "uniting people for development and delivering justice to the Seemanchal region." The campaign will cover Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, and Katihar districts, areas where Owaisi has consistently focused his political efforts and advocated for a Seemanchal Development Council under Article 371.