Copyright news18
With just a week left for the Bihar Assembly election, tempers have flared as AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi launched a fiery counterattack on RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, accusing him of borrowing “the language of Pakistan” after allegedly calling him an “extremist.” ‘Babu, can you write extremist in English?’ Addressing a rally in Kishanganj, Owaisi ridiculed Yadav’s reported remark, saying, “Tejashwi said Owaisi is an extremist, a fanatic, a terrorist. He calls me that because I follow my religion with pride. The one who does not bow before you or your father, you call him a coward? A beard on my face and a cap on my head make me an extremist? So much hatred in you.” In a jibe, he added, “Babu, ‘extremist’ ko tum zara angrezi mein likh le (can you even write extremist in English)?” AIMIM’s official account later posted an audio clip of the speech, accusing Tejashwi of insulting the people of Seemanchal. AIMIM’s failed seat talks with MGB The war of words follows the collapse of seat-sharing talks between Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and Tejashwi Yadav’s Mahagathbandhan. The AIMIM had sought six seats, but after no agreement was reached, Owaisi announced his party would contest 100 of Bihar’s 243 seats independently. “It’s well known I wrote to Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi expressing interest in an alliance. No response came. We’ll now expand our footprint,” Owaisi said, adding that his party aimed to be the “third front” in Bihar politics. AIMIM’s stronghold in Seemanchal The AIMIM’s influence lies largely in the Muslim-majority Seemanchal region, covering Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj and Araria. In 2020, the party won five of the 20 seats it contested there, though four MLAs later defected to the RJD. Owaisi has positioned himself as the political voice of Bihar’s 17.7 per cent Muslim population, arguing that unlike other castes, Muslims lack representation at the top. His criticism of the opposition for not naming a Muslim Deputy Chief Minister underscores his effort to consolidate the community’s support. For Tejashwi Yadav, who relies heavily on the traditional Muslim-Yadav (MY) vote base, accommodating Owaisi risked splitting his support. With polling set to begin this week, the first phase on November 7 and results on November 14, the AIMIM’s growing assertiveness could reshape the state’s political dynamics, particularly in eastern Bihar.
