AIMIM declares first candidate for 2022 UP polls as Owaisi prepares Bengal entry

Striking ahead of time, AIMIM on Monday, declared its first candidate - Dr Abdul Manan - for 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls. Manan - an eye surgeon by profession - has been fielded by AIMIM for Utarauli Vidhan Sabha seat in Balrampur district. Manan had joined AIMIM after leaving Peace party. state's next elections will be held in month of February-March 2022.

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Owaisi allies with Rajbhar

On 16 December, AIMIM chief Asadudding Owaisi met Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar in Luckw to stitch an alliance for 2022 UP polls. " two of us (Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party's Om Prakash Rajbhar and he) are sitting before you. We stand toger and we'll work under his leadership," Owaisi said. A day later, Pragathisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav met with Rajbhar in a bid to ally with him. Shivpal Yadav who was eyeing to ally with estranged nephew and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, said that he received 'positive reaction' from Akhilesh Yadav. incumbent BJP w faces Congress, Samajwadi Party, BSP, AAP, JDU, AIMIM-SBSP-, Chandrashekhar Azad's Azad Samaj Party in 2022 polls.

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AIMIM's poll record

Recently, AIMIM has had a good record, managing to win 5 of 20 seats it contested in 2020 Bihar state polls. Moreover, it also mand to retain 44 seats in high-octave Hyderabad civic polls, which had seen BJP throw its entire poll machinery into making inroads into elusive south. While several Opposition parties have accused Owaisi of being a 'vote-cutter' and 'BJP's B-team', Hyderabad MP ahs contested saying, "It is my fundamental right of my party to contest for elections - to provide a better alternative to BJP".

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Moreover, AIMIM has also anunced it will contest for 2021 West Bengal polls too. Responding to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee who has levelled a massive 'money charge' against AIMIM and accused it of colluding with BJP, Owaisi reminded that Chief Minister was part of NDA under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Gujarat riots took place at that time. "She is trying to divert all her anger on Owaisi but she has t yet encountered a real Muslim," AIMIM chief said. AIMIM has also tied up with Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP)  to make an entry into Gujarat's local bodies' elections.

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