Published 14:51 IST, November 11th 2020
Emboldened by gains in Bihar poll, Owaisi says 'AIMIM plans to contest in UP, West Bengal'
In a sharp response to Cong's Adhir Ranjan's allegations that AIMIM is dividing anti-BJP votes, Owaisi asked if he needs someone's permission to contest polls.
In a scathing response to Congress' Adhir Ranjan Choudhury and other netas' allegations that AIMIM is dividing anti-BJP votes, thereby benefitting the saffron party, Asaduddin Owaisi asked if he needs someone's permission to contest elections. Reminding Congress that they allied with ideologically opposite Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, Owaisi said that he has the right to contest every election in the country.
Emboldened by the Bihar Elections result 2020 wherein his party won in 5 constituencies - Amour, Kochadhaman, Baisi, Bahadurgunj, Jokihat - out of 21 contested, he said that AIMIM will contest in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in 2022 as well as in West Bengal assembly elections next year.
You mean we should not fight elections. You (Congress) went and sat in Shiv Sena's lap (in Maharashtra). If anyone asks why did you fight the elections... I will fight in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and will fight every election in the country... Do I need to ask anyone's permission to fight the polls...AIMIM will fight in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Time only will tell with whom we will ally," Owaisi said.
READ | Bihar Results: Owaisi Thanks Seemanchal As AIMIM Eyes 5 Seats; Tightlipped On RJD Alliance
AIMIM in Bihar and other states
According to statistics provided by the Election Commission of India, AIMIM got 1.24 percent of over 4 crore votes polled. AIMIM made an entry in Bihar after its candidate won the Kishanganj bypolls in 2019. AIMIM gave a close fight to Congress' Izrahul Hussain in the minority-dominated seat of Kishanganj. In another muslim-dominated Amour seat, AIMIM's state chief Akhtarul Iman trumped over sitting 6-time Congress MLA Abdul Jalil Mastan and BJP's Saba Zafar. The party unsuccessfully contested in Bihar Assembly polls in 2015 and secured less than 0.5 per cent votes. MIM also unsuccessfully contested in UP Assembly polls in 2017. Besides Telangana and Bihar, MIM has two MLAs and one MP in Maharashtra.
Adhir Ranjan's remark
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury described Owaisi as a "vote-cutter" and asked secular parties to be "alert". "BJP's tact of using Owaisi Sahab's party in the Bihar elections has succeeded to an extent. All secular parties should be alert about vote-cutter Owaisi Sahab," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
NDA wins Bihar; RJD single-largest
The Bihar assembly elections results were declared around midnight on November 10-November 11, with the ruling coalition - NDA winning 125 in the 243-member assembly, against Mahagathbandhan's 110. Even as the contest remained neck and neck throughout the day, RJD under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav, became the single largest party with 75 seats, followed by BJP's 74. While Chirag Paswan's LJP won one seat, it made a major dent in JDU's tally that has come down to 43 from 71 in 2015. The biggest clincher is Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM winning 5 seats and CPI-ML winning 12 seats. The other two left parties - CPI and CPI-M won two each. The other two alliance partners of NDA - HAM and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) won four seats each.
Updated 14:51 IST, November 11th 2020