ANWARUL HODA / PATNA
In a major setback for Asaduddin Owaisi’s, four of the five legislators of his All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) today joined Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Owaisi-led party made inroads into Bihar’s Seemanchal region in the 2020 assembly elections.
“The AIMIM MLAs have merged with our party. We are now the largest party in the state assembly,” Tejashwi Yadav told reporters after the four AIMIM legislators joined the RJD and raised its effective strength to 80.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 77 legislators in the 243-seat assembly and its alliance partner, Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) has 45 and Jiten Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) has 4.
Today’s amalgation does not impact the ruling coalition’s numbers but lets the RJD make up for some of the losses suffered in the 2020 assembly elections when the AIMIM gained a firm foothold in the Seemanchal.
The four MLAs – Syed Rukuuddin Ahmed from Baisi, Shahnawaj from Jokihat, Mohammed Anjar Nayami from Bahadurganj and Mohammed IzaharAshwi from Kochadhaman assembly constituency – said their move will help fast track development of the Seemanchal region that comprises Araria, Purnia, Kishanganj and Katihar districts. “We have taken the decision in the interest of development of Seemanchal,” said Shahnawaj.
“The RJD claims to protect the interests of minorities and weaker sections. But today, the party has not only betrayed the faith and belief of minorities but also proved that it does not want a strong party to emerge in the state that talks about fighting for Muslims, minorities and scheduled castes,” said Bihar AIMIM president Akhtarul Iman, the party’s fifth and only legislator in the assembly. Imam represents the Amour segment in Purnia in the assembly.