Bihar assembly elections 2025: Owaisi targets Tejashwi over ‘extremist’ remark
Following its fallout with the RJD, AIMIM has fielded 25 candidates in Bihar this election, including 14 from Seemanchal.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday launched a sharp attack on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Opposition’s chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav over his alleged “extremist” remark, intensifying the political war of words ahead of the Bihar elections.
Reacting to Yadav’s statement, Owaisi said, “Tejashwi Yadav, can you even write the word ‘extremist’? Even the people of Pakistan call me an extremist. It seems you’ve got your education from the terrorists in Pakistan.”
Addressing an election rally at Bishanpur under the Kochadhaman assembly constituency in support of his party’s candidate Mohammad Sarwar Alam, Owaisi alleged that the RJD had given respect to several accused individuals within the party.
The AIMIM chief further said, “I keep a beard but my intentions are clear. I don’t do politics with the people of Bihar, especially those of Seemanchal.” Taking a jibe at the RJD leader, he added, “Tejashwi can’t even spell the word ‘extremist’. People understand everything.”
Criticising JD(U) turncoat Mujahid Alam, who is contesting from Kochadhaman on an RJD ticket, Owaisi said, “Mujahid Alam is a disciple of Modi, and the RJD has honoured him for being close to Modi.”
The AIMIM chief also accused Tejashwi Yadav of engineering a split in his party. In 2022, four out of five AIMIM MLAs defected to the RJD, reducing the AIMIM’s strength in the Bihar Assembly to one. “The RJD had promised those MLAs tickets to contest elections under its banner, but three of them were later denied tickets,” Owaisi said.
Owaisi welcomed outgoing MLA from Kochadhaman, Muhammad Izhar Asfi, back into the party, terming his return a significant boost for AIMIM in the region.
Following its fallout with the RJD, AIMIM has fielded 25 candidates in Bihar this election, including 14 from Seemanchal, which comprises 24 assembly seats. In the 2020 Assembly elections, AIMIM had won five seats in Seemanchal, while RJD managed to secure only one. However, the defection of four AIMIM MLAs to RJD in 2022 altered the balance of power.
“RJD is leaving nothing to chance in Seemanchal this time, as the party is keen to retain its Muslim vote bank,” said Purnea-based political observer Professor N K Srivastava. “This Bihar election is turning out to be tough for all — NDA, Grand Alliance, AIMIM, and Jan Suraaj Party alike.”
Polling in the Seemanchal region is scheduled for November 11, with counting of votes to take place on November 14.
