Patna: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has taken a direct swipe at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav following the Bihar Assembly results, saying, “If we contest the elections in Seemanchal with full force, no one will say, ‘Mummy, Mummy, you snatched the chocolate from us.’” Although he did not name Tejashwi, the comment has stirred political debate across Bihar’s Seemanchal region, where AIMIM made a strong comeback.
Before the elections, AIMIM had sought six seats in Seemanchal as part of a possible alliance with the Grand Alliance. Tejashwi Yadav rejected the offer, a decision that ultimately proved costly. The Grand Alliance, which held seven seats in the region previously, was nearly wiped out this time.
RJD Suffers Worst-Ever Setback in Seemanchal
Out of 24 seats in Seemanchal, RJD contested nine but managed to win only one—Raniganj in Araria, where Scheduled Caste candidate Avinash Mangalam emerged victorious. Of the nine seats, RJD fielded Muslim candidates in five and a Yadav candidate in one; all these candidates lost. Congress contested 12 seats, winning four.
In 2020, RJD had won a single seat—Thakurganj. This time, even that slipped away as JD(U)’s Gopal Kumar Agarwal defeated the party’s candidate.
AIMIM Strengthens Base, Reclaims Lost Ground
AIMIM contested 28 seats statewide, fielding Muslim candidates in 25 and non-Muslims in three. The party won five seats with a vote share of 1.85%. More significantly, AIMIM performed strongly even in constituencies where victory eluded them, finishing second in two seats and third in 14 seats.
In Seemanchal, AIMIM recaptured all four seats held by its MLAs who defected to RJD after the 2020 elections. The party replaced all four defectors with new candidates—and all of them won.
Inside AIMIM’s Strategy: Booth-Level Network, Issue-Driven Messaging
AIMIM’s Bihar strategist M. Jasimul Haque said the party shifted the focus from caste equations to local issues such as education, roads, and development. He said that a young, politically aware Muslim electorate has been seeking greater representation, which mainstream parties have ignored.
Haque added that AIMIM built its cadre organically: “Paid workers often disappear in Seemanchal. We built a committed team that worked for two years without pay.”
He also highlighted discontent among Muslims after RJD announced Mukesh Sahni as Deputy CM face but did not announce a Muslim candidate for the post. AIMIM carried this message to the grassroots.
Muslim Trust Shifts as AIMIM Mirrors BJP’s Organisational Style
According to Kishanganj-based reporter Deepak, AIMIM adopted a BJP-style organisational structure, with senior leaders meeting workers personally. Localised campaigns, street plays, door-to-door outreach, and Owaisi’s repeated visits helped consolidate Muslim support.
AIMIM workers mobilised voters aggressively, leading to higher turnout across pockets of Seemanchal. Three former MLAs who were denied RJD tickets even extended support to AIMIM during the campaign.
Seat-Wise Breakdown: AIMIM Dominates Muslim-Majority Constituencies
AIMIM won in Amour, Baisi, Bahadurganj, Kochadhaman, and Jokihat—each with a Muslim population above 60%.
Key results include:
• Amour (Purnia) – Akhtarul Imam won by nearly 39,000 votes.
• Baisi (Purnia) – Ghulam Sarwar won with 92,766 votes; BJP finished second.
• Bahadurganj (Kishanganj) – Mohammad Tausif Alam won with over 87,000 votes.
• Kochadhaman (Kishanganj) – Mohammad Sarwar Alam defeated RJD’s Mujahid Alam by over 23,000 votes.
• Jokihat (Araria) – Mohammad Murshid Alam won; RJD’s Shahnawaz Alam finished fourth in a contest involving two brothers.
AIMIM’s Strike Rate Matches RJD’s
Despite contesting far fewer seats, AIMIM’s strike rate was 17.86%, close to RJD’s 18.18%. AIMIM also played a spoiler in at least eight seats, where the Grand Alliance lost because AIMIM’s vote tally exceeded the winning margin.
These included Pranpur, Kasba, Mahua, Sherghati, Keoti, Darbhanga Rural, Araria, and Gopalganj.
Experts Call It a ‘Magic Victory’
Political analyst Priyadarshi Ranjan said AIMIM’s success proves that the party—not the candidates—holds sway in Seemanchal. “This is a magic victory. Owaisi’s image and AIMIM’s deep grassroots presence have reshaped the political map here.”
Ranjan said both RJD and Congress appear weaker than AIMIM in Seemanchal, adding that Prashant Kishor’s attempts to position himself as a Muslim-backed leader have also been rejected by voters.
Owaisi Credits Seemanchal Voters
After the results, Owaisi thanked the people of Seemanchal and reiterated his pledge that he “will never leave Seemanchal,” a promise he has been repeating for the past five years.
