Despite contesting limited seats, Asaduddin Owaisi’s party secures a low vote share across constituencies; analysts say Muslims largely backed major parties
KOLKATA/NEW DELHI — The results of the West Bengal Assembly elections have triggered fresh political debate after the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) failed to win a single seat, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surged ahead of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
AIMIM, led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, had fielded candidates in 12 constituencies. However, none of its candidates managed to secure a strong position. In most seats, AIMIM candidates finished between fourth and eighth place, with very low vote counts.
Political observers say the results suggest that Muslim voters in West Bengal largely chose established parties rather than smaller entrants. A local political analyst in Kolkata said, “The numbers show that there was no significant shift of votes towards AIMIM. Most voters stayed with the main parties.”
The party had earlier broken its alliance with Humayun Kabir’s political outfit and contested independently in selected seats. It also avoided fielding candidates in several Muslim-majority constituencies such as Murshidabad, Malda and Birbhum.
In Raghunathganj, AIMIM candidate Imran Soaiki secured around 795 votes, far behind candidates from TMC, Congress and BJP. In Asansol North, AIMIM’s Danish Aziz received only 69 votes, while other parties maintained stronger positions.
In Kandi, AIMIM candidate Misbahul Islam Khan secured around 3,005 votes and finished second. In several other constituencies, such as Nalhati, Murarai and Suti, AIMIM candidates received only a few hundred votes.
A political commentator said, “For a new entrant, the performance shows limited ground support in the state. It also weakens the argument that AIMIM plays a decisive role in dividing votes in West Bengal.”
At the same time, the broader election outcome has raised questions about opposition unity. Despite AIMIM’s weak performance, the TMC still faced a strong challenge from the BJP.
One senior political observer said, “The results indicate that the main contest remained between the BJP and TMC. Smaller parties did not significantly change the overall outcome.”
There has been no detailed official response yet from AIMIM leadership regarding the results. However, party workers in some areas said they would continue efforts to build support in future elections.
A local voter in Murarai said, “People voted based on local issues and party strength. Smaller parties did not have much influence here.”
The results have once again highlighted the complex nature of voting patterns in West Bengal, where regional dynamics, party organisation and local leadership continue to play a major role.
As the final results are confirmed, political parties are expected to review their strategies, especially in constituencies with significant minority populations, where voting trends remained largely aligned with established parties.
