They entered the Bihar poll scene with much fanfare but proved “non-performers.” All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) leader Pappu Yadav were expected to queer the pitch but did little.
Later, the six-party formation of the “third front” too was projected to be the real spoiler for the BJP-led NDA and Nitish-Lalu-led Grand Alliance. But had no impact.
Mr. Owaisi was even charged with being in the fray to split the secular votes of the Grand Alliance. Initially, Mr. Owaisi declared he would contest 24 seats in the Seemanchal (border) area but later put up just six candidates and camped in Kishanganj district for over three weeks to campaign for his party candidates. He created a buzz in Muslim-dominated Seemanchal constituencies and hit the headlines but failed to bring in the votes for his candidates. His party came a cropper losing all the six seats. State party chief Akhtarul Iman, who contested from Kochadhaman in Kishanganj, came second.
Earlier, there was a charge that expelled RJD MP and JAP leader Pappu Yadav was tasked by the BJP with cutting into the Yadav vote bank of Lalu Prasad. Mr. Pappu Yadav, however, dismissed the charge and said he would ensure the defeat of both the NDA and the Grand Alliance.
Under the “third front,” Mr. Pappu Yadav’s party contested more than 40 seats but failed to make its presence felt.
Poll analysts told The Hindu that Mr. Pappu Yadav failed to cut even two per cent of the Yadav votes in his stranglehold of the Kosi area.
Similar was the fate of NCP leader Tariq Anwar in Seemanchal who too could not make any mark.
The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj party also failed to make any visible impact.
