As the Bihar Assembly elections approach on November 6 and 11, 2025, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has announced its intention to contest approximately 100 seats, a significant increase from the five it contested in 2020. AIMIM's Bihar president, Akhtarul Iman, stated that this decision aims to establish the party as a "third alternative" to the dominant National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan, known as the INDIA bloc in Bihar. The votes will be counted on November 14.
Iman emphasized that both the NDA and Mahagathbandhan will be compelled to acknowledge AIMIM's presence in the state. He also addressed the Mahagathbandhan's previous accusations that AIMIM splits secular votes, arguing that these claims are no longer valid. Iman revealed that he had reached out to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav to explore a potential electoral alliance but did not receive a response. He stated that the party must now focus on expanding its base and is open to forming a third front with like-minded parties.
In the 2020 elections, AIMIM contested in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP). While AIMIM won five seats, it was also credited with impacting the vote share of the RJD, Congress, and Left alliance in several constituencies. However, in 2022, four of AIMIM's MLAs defected to the RJD, leaving Iman as the party's sole representative in the Bihar assembly.
Political analysts suggest that AIMIM's strategy is focused on Bihar's Seemanchal region, where Muslims constitute over 17% of the population but have historically lacked adequate legislative representation. In the past month, Asaduddin Owaisi visited Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar, and Purnea to engage with minority communities and bolster the party's presence.
The Bihar Assembly elections are crucial for both the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc. The NDA is working to finalize seat-sharing arrangements, with BJP leaders recently meeting in Delhi to discuss candidates. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), an ally of the INDIA bloc, has indicated it will make its own decisions regarding the elections if it does not receive a respectable number of seats by October 14. Meanwhile, Jan Suraaj, led by Prashant Kishor, has already announced its first list of 51 candidates and intends to contest the election alone.
