New DelhiOctober 8, 2025 03:29 AM IST
First published on: Oct 7, 2025 at 06:03 PM IST
Following repeated “snubs” by the RJD over its offer to be included in the Mahagathbandhan, the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM has announced four candidates for the coming Bihar Assembly polls. While the party has said it remains open to an alliance with the Lalu Prasad-led outfit, it has also made the RJD one of its main targets in its campaign.
“Though Lalu and Tejashwi have not responded to our letters, we may still become a part of the alliance to defeat the BJP,” party national spokesperson Adil Hasan told The Indian Express, adding that the AIMIM’s plan was to contest around 50 of the state’s 243 seats.
Last week, the AIMIM declared candidates for Bahadurganj (Mohammad Tausif Alam), Balrampur (Hasan), Baisi (Ghulam Sarvar) and Dhaka (Rana Ranjeet). In 2020, Alam had contested the Bahadurganj seat as a Congress nominee and finished third, while Sarvar unsuccessfully contested the Baisi seat as an Independent.
The Muslim-dominated Seemanchal — comprising the districts of Araria, Purnia, Katihar and Kishanganj — gave the AIMIM all its five MLAs in 2020. But the party now seems to be seeking to expand into the Mithilanchal and Magadh regions. Owaisi addressed a public meeting in Seemanchal followed by one each in Mithilanchal and Magadh, on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
In the 2020 polls, the AIMIM won Bahadurganj and Baisi with vote shares of 49.8% and 38.3% respectively while the party did not field candidates in the Balrampur and Dhaka seats.
Owaisi, who ended his three-day tour of Bihar on Tuesday, said AIMIM state president and Amour MLA Akhtarul Iman had sent letters to Lalu and Tejashwi seeking inclusion in the Mahagathbandhan to “get justice for Muslims”.
“We asked for six seats, and did not demand ministerial berths. Yet, they are not ready to speak to us. The people of Bihar should be aware of who wants to stop the formation of a (Narendra) Modi-Amit Shah–Nitish Kumar government… Sun lo Tejashwi, sun lo RJD ke neta. Tumhari nadaani tumko nuksan pahunchayegi… Tumhara guroor tumko kamzor kar dega (Listen Tejashwi and RJD leaders. Your ignorance will harm you, your arrogance will leave you weakened)… If you want to stop the BJP in Bihar, you will have to hold Owaisi’s and Akhtarul Iman’s hands,” he said at a public meeting in Jale Assembly constituency of Darbhanga district on Monday.
The AIMIM chief has also been attacking the four AIMIM MLAs who switched to the RJD after the 2020 Assembly polls, urging people not to re-elect the “gaddars (traitors)”. “The party will give a befitting reply. Chaar ka jawab 24 se diya jaayega (For four, we will answer with 24),” Owaisi has said.
He criticised the RJD for its reliance on the Muslim-Yadav voter base, while exhorting Muslims to stand by his party. “You will become leaders. We will not bow down before leaders of any Yadav.”
In 2020, the AIMIM had contested as part of a “third front”, including the BSP and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (now Rashtriya Lok Manch). Its win from five of the 20 seats it contested, with an almost 15% vote share, had created a flutter.
The BSP had won one seat, while the RLSP had drawn a blank. Kushwaha is now aligned with the NDA.
