PATNA — Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has expressed its willingness to fight the upcoming Bihar Assembly election in alliance with the Mahagathbandhan. State party chief Akhtarul Iman today (June 3) said that a proposal has been sent to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Iman said a proposal has been sent through second-tier leaders of the RJD and Congress, stressing that the AIMIM does not want the anti-NDA vote to get divided, reported India TV. We do not want votes to be divided, and hence we have sent a proposal to Tejashwi Yadav to join the Mahagathbandhan through his second-line leaders. Now he has to make the decision,” he said.
Other plans of AIMIM for Bihar polls
He further stated that if the proposal is not accepted, the AIMIM will explore the possibility of forming a third front by holding talks with other like-minded parties. “If the proposal is not accepted, then we will talk to some parties to form a third front. Even though the RJD betrayed us in the past, we are still willing to join forces for the greater good,” Iman said.
How did RJD stab in the back?
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, AIMIM made a strong impact in the Seemanchal region, winning five seats—Amour, Kochadhaman, Jokihat, Baisi, and Bahadurganj. The party contested 20 seats. However, in June 2022, the party faced a major blow when four of its five MLAs—Muhammad Izhar Asfi (Kochadhaman), Shahnawaz Alam (Jokihat), Syed Ruknuddin Ahmed (Baisi), and Anjar Naimi (Bahadurganj)—defected to the RJD. This defection significantly boosted RJD’s numbers, making it the largest party in the Bihar Legislative Assembly.
Alliance prospects and challenges
AIMIM has extended a proposal to join the Mahagathbandhan for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, but a formal response from either the RJD or the Congress is still awaited. With existing tensions within the alliance over seat-sharing arrangements, AIMIM’s potential entry could further complicate matters. While some political analysts believe that AIMIM’s inclusion might help consolidate Muslim votes, it also poses a risk of fragmenting the traditional Muslim support base of the RJD and Congress. AIMIM’s Bihar president Akhtarul Iman has made it clear that if their proposal is turned down, the party will explore the possibility of forming a third front with other political groups.
Bihar Assembly Elections 2025
It is pertinent to mention that the Legislative Assembly election for all 243 constituencies in Bihar is scheduled to be held in October or November this year. The previous assembly elections were held in October–November 2020. After the election, the National Democratic Alliance formed the state government, with Nitish Kumar becoming Chief Minister. Later, in August 2022, Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) snapped ties with the NDA and formed the government with RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. Later, in January 2024, Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) snapped ties with RJD-led Mahagathbandhan and again formed the government with the BJP-led NDA.
