Daijiworld Media Network - Patna

Patna, Sep 17: AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday expressed his frustration over the INDIA bloc’s refusal to give his party a role in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, saying that despite repeated efforts, the party’s outreach went unheard.

Speaking Owaisi said, “We were ready to join the INDIA bloc if given six seats to contest. Akhtarul Iman, our Bihar chief, wrote two letters to Lalu Prasad Yadav and a third to Tejashwi Yadav. We made it clear that we don’t even require a ministry if the bloc comes to power, only a Seemanchal development board. What more could we do?”

He hit out at the RJD-led alliance, alleging bias and hypocrisy. “They call us BJP’s B-team. But when four of our MLAs joined the RJD, nothing happened. When BJP took Shiv Sena MLAs, all hell broke loose,” Mr. Owaisi added.

The AIMIM had made a surprise entry in Bihar politics during the 2020 elections, winning five seats in the sensitive Seemanchal region, though four of its MLAs later switched to the RJD. Last week, AIMIM leaders staged a dramatic push for an alliance, reaching Lalu Yadav’s residence, beating drums, and distributing posters.

Akhtarul Iman reiterated the party’s willingness to work with the INDIA bloc despite the setbacks. “We even sent messages through RJD MLAs, but were told AIMIM should not contest this time. Still, we remain ready for an alliance, even with the party that took away four of our MLAs. Our responsibility towards Seemanchal continues,” he said.

Owaisi also questioned the decision to allow the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match, criticizing the incongruity between political nationalism and sporting diplomacy. “The Prime Minister said, ‘Blood and water cannot flow together.’ Yet, cricket can happen? What message does this send to Pakistan? Whoever thinks this will change Pakistan is mistaken,” he said.