As AIMIM grows, Tejashwi Yadav plans Seemanchal tour

Playing down Owaisi’s emergence in the Bihar political stage, RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tewari said, “We do not take AIMIM as a threat. Since it is election year, we are beginning our focussed trip — Leader of Oppposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav will tour Kosi and Seemanchal areas.” Asked about the AIMIM’s growing influence in Seemanchal, Tewari said the party had won just one seat in the by-election.

“It is the RJD-led Grand Alliance which will be the main force (in the state elections, scheduled later this year). Our opponent is the NDA, not a particular party,” he maintained.

AIMIM’s Bihar unit youth president Adil Hasan Azad, however, said: “Our growth chart is for everyone to see since the 2015 state Assembly polls. The difference of votes between the Congress (winner) and our candidate in last Lok Sabha polls (in Kishanganj) was just about 35,000. We will further expand our base in the coming elections by contesting outside Seemanchal.” Unlike “other parties”, Azad said, the AIMIM is not playing up religious issues but talking about health, education issues and a package for Seemanchal.

While the Congress has had a dominant presence in Kishanganj, the RJD is eyeing Araria, Purnea and Katihar. The party has been trying to strengthen its presence in the area after the death of Mohammed Taslimuddin, former Lok Sabha MP and the party’s face in Seemanchal area.