On Owaisi wrath over ‘extremist’ comment, Tejashwi insists it's a ‘non-issue’

Row began after Tejashwi, asked why Mahagathbandhan did not let Owaisi's AIMIM into alliance, stated that “extremists have no space here”

Political temperature in the anti-NDA camp has peaked in Bihar after Asaduddin Owaisi of the AIMIM objected strongly to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's remark labelling the Muslim leader an "extremist". But Tejashwi, the Mahagathbandhan's CM face, on Tuesday flatly refused to engage further with the controversy, dismissing it as a "non-issue".

RJD's Tejashwi Yadav was asked about the angry retort to his comments by Asaduddin Owaisi, at a press conference at his residence in Patna on Tuesday, Nov 4. (Pappi Sharma/ANI Photo)

Bihar election LIVE 2025: Follow all the updates here

The row began from an interview in which Tejashwi Yadav, when asked why the Mahagathbandhan did not let Owaisi into the alliance, reportedly stated that "extremists have no space here".

This was subsequently posted by the AIMIM on social media platform X.

What Owaisi said: ‘Can you even spell…?’

Then, at a rally in the Seemanchal region’s Kishanganj district on November 2, Owaisi accused Yadav of making the comment because he follows his religion, Islam, “with pride”.

He said the remark, “made upon seeing the cap on my head and the beard on my face”, was an "insult to the entire people of Seemanchal"; the region has a significant Muslim population.

Owaisi also questioned Yadav's understanding of the word. “I ask Tejashwi, 'babu, extremist ko tum zara angrezi mein likh ke batatdo' (my dear, can you even spell ‘extremist’ in English?)”

Owaisi further claimed that Yadav was acting like Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “He is acting like Modi’s younger brother and expressing his hatred."

Tejashwi refuses to engage further

But Tejashwi, when asked about the controversy on Tuesday, November 4, at a press conference held on the last day of campaigning for the first phase of voting, sought to shut down the discussion.

“This is not an issue right now,” he said.

The Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD, refused to accommodate the AIMIM into the alliance after seat-sharing negotiations failed, reports have said. The AIMIM had reportedly sought six seats of the total 243, but the proposal did not find acceptance within the INDIA bloc that also includes the Congress. The AIMIM has fielded candidates in 25 constituencies.

Muslims, besides the Yadavs, are considered a key voter base for the RJD-led MGB.

The first phase of voting is on November 6, followed by the second phase on the 11th, and counting of votes on November 14.

(with ANI and PTI inputs)