The politics of Bihar has always torqued around the so-called ‘MY’ combine, referring to the Muslim and Yadav political combination. According to the recently released caste survey, the Muslim community stood at 17.7%, whereas the Yadav populace stood at 14.26% of the State’s population. However, the electoral prospects for Muslims leader seem dim nonetheless, in a trend that runs across party lines.
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Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad has, in the past, claimed that his party “takes electoral flight with more than 31% MY votes”. His party’s uninterrupted run from 1990 to 2005 would seem to back his claim. However, the RJD has fielded only two candidates of the 23 seats it is contesting under mahagathbandhan alliance with other parties. The RJD has put up Shahnawaz Alam, the party’s MLA from Jokihat, in the Muslim dominant seat of Araria seat in northeast Bihar. Mr. Alam, the son of former Union Minister and veteran Muslim leader Mohammed Taslimuddin, had won the last Assembly election on an All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) ticket but joined the RJD in June 2022 along with three other AIMIM legislators. The second Muslim candidate for the RJD is M.A.A. Fatmi from Madhubani.
Under the mahagathbandhan alliance in Bihar, the RJD is contesting on 23 seats, whereas the Congress is going for nine seats, the three Left parties on five, and the Mukesh Sahani-led Vikasheel Insaan Party for three seats.
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In the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition, the Janata Dal (United) is contesting on 16 seats. Of these, the JD(U) has fielded only one Muslim candidate, Mujahid Alam from Kishanganj in the Seemanchal area. The constituency has a Muslim population of 68%. Mr. Alam is a former JD(U) MLA from Kochadhaman Assembly segment of the Kishanganj district. However, alliance partner BJP which is contesting on 17 seats has not fielded any Muslim face in the State.
The Congress party, which is contesting on nine Lok Sabha seats in the State, has put up two candidates from the Muslim community. Senior party leader and former MP Tariq Anwar from Katihar and Mohammed Jawed from Kishanganj seat. Mr. Jawed is a sitting Congress MP from Kishanganj and he was the lone Opposition leader to win the solo seat of Kishanganj in Bihar in last 2019 Lok Sabha election. The remaining 39 seats had gone to the NDA candidates.
The AIMIM which is contesting on 11 seats in Bihar, though, is yet to announce the names of all 11 candidates. Party sources told The Hindu that it would field at least five Muslim candidates in the fray. The AIMIM candidate from Kishanganj Mohammed Akhtarul Iman has created buzz among voters and has made the contest tough for the sitting MP Mohammed Jawed. Mr. Iman is the AIMIM MLA from Amour Assembly constituency of the district and State president of the party.
“It will not be surprising if Mr. Iman wins the LS election from Kishanganj this time,” a local businessman Mohammed Ahsan from the town told The Hindu.
“The mainstream political parties only give numerical reference as per the caste survey report to the Muslim population in the State for their political convenience but the community has not been given fair representation by any political party in 2024 Lok Sabha election,” rued a Maulana from Imarat-e-Shariah on condition of anonymity. Imarat-e-Shariah is a socio-religious and welfare organisation in Bihar with presence in the neighbouring Jharkhand and Odisha.