AIMIM to field 11 candidates for Lok Sabha election in Bihar

March 13, 2024 06:31 pm | Updated 06:48 pm IST - Patna

For the first time, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is trying to expand its base beyond the Seemanchal region after the party on Wednesday announced it will field candidates from 11 seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. Apart from Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj, and Araria, which fall under Seemanchal, the party will field candidates in the Buxar, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Ujiyarpur, Darbhanga, and Karakat Lok Sabha seats.

In February, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi was on a three-day visit to Bihar when he launched his election campaign from Seemanchal. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the AIMIM had contested just one seat from Kishanganj but in 2020, the party won five Assembly seats. However, four out of the five legislators quit the party and joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Also read: BJP announces candidates for biennial election in Bihar

“On the instruction of our national president, we have decided to contest in 11 Lok Sabha seats out of 40 [from Bihar],” AIMIM State president and party MLA Akhtarul Iman told The Hindu.

When asked if fielding AIMIM candidates would result in a division of minority votes, which will ultimately benefit the BJP, Mr. Iman said the Indian National Democratic, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc did not allow his party to join them. “We wanted to be a part of INDIA bloc to defeat the BJP but the INDIA bloc leaders did not allow us to be a part of the bloc. So, finally, we decided to field our candidates. Talks are still going on as far as any alliance is concerned with any party,” he said.

“We never want the BJP to win the election neither we want a division of secular votes. However, it is very unfortunate that INDIA bloc leaders want to grab power but they do not want to give due share to minorities and Dalits. If they are so concerned about the division of votes, the INDIA bloc should not field their candidates. It’s not like only they can stop [the BJP], we can also stop the BJP from coming to power,” Mr. Iman added.

The Seemanchal region in north Bihar comprises four districts — Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj and Araria. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won three seats and the Congress won one seat (Kishanganj). The four districts represent 24 Assembly constituencies. Seemanchal is therefore important for next year’s Assembly election, too.

Apart from Seemanchal, out of the seven Lok Sabha seats for which the AIMIM is fielding its candidates, three are held by the JD(U), and four are with the BJP.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the NDA had won 39 out of the 40 seats in Bihar; the RJD could not open its account.

In the previous Lok Sabha election, the AIMIM gave a tough fight to Congress’ candidate Mohammad Jawed, securing about three lakh votes, whereas Mr. Jawed polled 3.67 lakh votes.

Mr. Iman said that he would once again contest the election from Kishanganj seat, and Aadil Hasan would contest from Katihar. He also justified that, earlier, there were allegations that the AIMIM only fielded candidates against the Congress, but this time, the party was fielding candidates in seats held by the BJP and JD(U) as well.

Out of Bihar’s 13 crore population, 17% are Muslims, according the State’s caste-based survey report released in 2023. Muslims are known to favour voting for the RJD, which kept the party in power in Bihar for 15 years.