Owaisi Eyes Alliance with Mahagathbandhan to Take on BJP in Bihar

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has expressed keen interest in joining hands with the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar to challenge the ruling BJP-led NDA in the upcoming state assembly elections slated for later this year.

Owaisi revealed that AIMIM’s Bihar state president, Akhtarul Iman, has initiated discussions with leaders of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and other alliance constituents. The primary goal, he stated, is to consolidate opposition forces and prevent the BJP from returning to power in the politically crucial state.

Talks Underway with Grand Alliance

Speaking to reporters, Owaisi emphasized that the AIMIM is open to a strategic alliance with the Mahagathbandhan to strengthen the anti-BJP front. “If the Mahagathbandhan is serious about defeating the NDA, a broad-based coalition is essential,” he said.

However, he made it clear that if the talks do not materialize into a partnership, AIMIM is prepared to contest independently and field candidates in all constituencies across the state.

Highlighting the party’s presence in the Seemanchal region, Owaisi said AIMIM had made significant electoral gains in the past. In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the party won five seats in Seemanchal, though four MLAs later defected to the RJD — a move that Owaisi described as “a betrayal of the mandate.”

Concerns Over Voter List Revision

Apart from electoral strategy, Owaisi also voiced serious concerns over the ongoing “Special Intensive Revision” of the electoral rolls in Bihar. He warned that the current voter verification drive could lead to mass disenfranchisement of the poor, particularly those displaced by floods in Seemanchal and other rural areas.

Citing the stringent document requirements such as birth certificates, residence proofs, and parental documents, Owaisi argued that these measures unfairly target marginalized communities. “The process is legally questionable and could deny thousands of legitimate citizens their right to vote,” he stated.

Owaisi has formally written to the Election Commission of India, urging it to review and revise the process to ensure inclusivity and fairness.

As Bihar gears up for a high-stakes electoral battle, the possibility of AIMIM joining the Grand Alliance could shift political equations and intensify the contest against the BJP-led NDA.