AIMIM forms separate anti-BJP front for Bihar polls

The announcement by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi to form the United Democratic Secular Alliance (UDSA) with former MP and Samajwadi Janata Dal (Democratic) Chief Devendra Prasad Yadav for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections has given an interesting turn to the battle at the hustings.

With Owaisi and the SJD (D) entering the poll arena in Bihar together, the political fight won't be easy for any of the parties in the Seemanchal region of the state.

Forging an alliance with Devendra Yadav's party, Owaisi has made a political move to strengthen the Yadav and Muslim voters of Bihar who are considered the traditional pocket boroughs of the Rashtriya



Janata Dal (RJD).

Though the UDSA has not yet decided on the number of seats it will contest in the Assembly elections, it is believed that the alliance will field their candidates in Kosi and Purnia regions.

The Muslim vote will supposedly be decisive in 15 to 17 seats in Seemanchal but there are many other constituencies where Muslim voters could influence the poll results.

In the 2015 elections, Owaisi's party had fielded candidates for six seats and all of them suffered resounding defeats. On five seats, his party candidates lost their deposits. However, in 2019 the AIMIM's Qamrul Huda won the Kishanganj seat in the Bihar bypolls.