HYDERABAD: After successfully testing waters in Maharasthtra Assembly Elections last year, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen on Saturday announced its plans in the run-up to Bihar polls, which is two months away.
The party supremo Asaduddin Owaisi stated his party would contest from four districts of Seemanchal region in the State. “Seemanchal has remained neglected in Bihar and remain most backward. We want to develop this region,” he said. MIM will focus its campaign on a demand to achieve separate regional development council for Seemanchal under Article 371 of Indian Constitution.
The party also announced the name of two-time-Bihar MLA Aktarul Iman, who hails from Seemanchal, as its Bihar State President. Out of the total 243 seats in the State Assembly, MIM would be contesting from 24 or less seats. “We will contest along the lines of overall development and justice. As a strategy, we will not reveal how many seats we are contesting...Candidates have been decided already,” said the Hyderabad MP.
According to him, the party has a considerable ground at Seemanchal region which, he said, comprises upto 75 per cent Muslims and Dalits. He also denied chances of any pre-poll alliance. He also refused to divulge on what would be the dalit share in the candidature. Seemanchal constitutes four districts - Araria, Purnea, Kishanganj, and Katihar which are ranked as countryÂ’s one of most backward regions.
Aktarul Iman, the newly designated party president in Bihar, is known for his last minute withdrawal of candidature in the 2014 Lok Sabha Polls in Bihar. A former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA from the region, Iman had decided to contest under Janata Dal United (JDU) banner and citing ‘strengthening of secural forces’ against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)."