AIMIM Enters Bihar Race: 25 Candidates to Contest Key Seemanchal Seats
Party’s Seemanchal focus could derail Opposition’s minority vote bank.
The Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has thrown a political curveball into Bihar’s upcoming assembly elections, announcing 25 candidates on Sunday, with a strategic focus on the Muslim-majority Seemanchal region. This bold move, revealed just weeks before the two-phase polls on November 6 and 11, threatens to fracture the Opposition INDIA bloc’s vote bank, setting the stage for a fiercely contested electoral battle in a state already rife with political fragmentation.
AIMIM shared its candidate list on X, stating, “We are happy to announce the list of AIMIM candidates for the upcoming Bihar elections. The candidates were finalized by AIMIM’s Bihar unit in consultation with the party’s national leadership. Inshallah, we will be a voice of justice for Bihar’s weakest and most neglected.” Leading the pack is Akhtarul Iman, AIMIM’s state president and lone MLA, who will contest again from Amour constituency. In a surprising twist, Sabir Ali, a former Rajya Sabha MP expelled from Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) in 2014, replaces 2020 runner-up Saba Zafar in Amour, signaling AIMIM’s intent to leverage seasoned political figures.
The majority of AIMIM’s candidates are fielded in Seemanchal, a northeastern region encompassing Purnia, Katihar, Kishanganj, and Araria, where Muslims constitute over 60% of the population in some areas. Key nominees include Advocate Shams Aagaz (Kishanganj), Tauseef Alam (Bahadurganj), Mohammad Manzoor Alam (Araria), Murshid Alam (Jokihat), and Gulam Hasnain (Thakurganj). Beyond Seemanchal, AIMIM is testing new waters with candidates like Anas Salam in Gopalganj, Shamimul Haq in Narkatia, and Naseema Khatoon in Nawada, one of the few women on the list. Notably, the party has included two non-Muslim candidates—Rana Ranjit Singh (Dhaka) and Adil Hasan (Balrampur)—in a bid to broaden its appeal and counter criticisms of being solely a Muslim-centric outfit.
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AIMIM’s entry intensifies challenges for the Opposition INDIA bloc, already grappling with internal rifts over seat-sharing. A senior Congress leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed alarm: “Owaisi’s candidates will split the minority vote in seats where we heavily rely on it, especially in Seemanchal.” Constituencies like Kishanganj, won by Congress in 2020 by a mere 1,381 votes, and others like Bahadurganj, Thakurganj, and Araria are particularly vulnerable. In Araria, Congress secured a 47,000-vote victory in 2020 despite AIMIM polling 8,000 votes, but a stronger AIMIM push could tilt the scales toward the ruling NDA coalition of JD(U) and BJP.
Bihar’s 243-seat assembly, with Muslims comprising 17.7% of voters and over 20% in 87 constituencies, makes Seemanchal a critical battleground. AIMIM’s 2020 performance—winning five seats, though four MLAs later defected to RJD—demonstrated its potential to disrupt. Owaisi’s overtures to join the INDIA bloc were rebuffed, prompting AIMIM to forge alliances with Chandrashekhar Azad’s Azad Samaj Party and smaller groups like Janata Party, amplifying its anti-establishment stance. Owaisi took to X to criticize major parties, stating, “When it comes to social, political, and economic justice for Muslims, all these slogan-givers run away.”
Seemanchal’s socio-economic challenges—chronic flooding, migration, and underdevelopment—fuel AIMIM’s narrative of championing the marginalized. The party’s focus on education, employment, and equitable representation resonates with voters feeling neglected by mainstream players. As nominations roll out for Phase 1 (102 seats, including Seemanchal strongholds), the electoral landscape grows more chaotic, with Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj contesting 200+ seats and JMM fielding six candidates. With counting set for November 14, AIMIM’s calculated gamble could reshape Bihar’s political future, leaving the Opposition scrambling to hold its ground.
Also Read: AIMIM Declares 32 Bihar Candidates, Challenges INDIA Bloc Ahead of 2025 Polls
