All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday announced that his party will be contesting the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.

Talking to reporters in Hyderabad, Owaisi said AIMIM will be focussing on Seemanchal region. The region, which has a sizeable Muslim population comprises four districts of Purnea, Kishanganj, Araria and Katihar and has 37 Assembly seats.

While appointing Akhtar Imam as the president of AIMIM's Bihar unit, Owaisi said the state's Seemanchal region has been neglected by all major parties and that his only poll agenda will be to develop the area. Also Read: Owaisi's entry in UP panchayat elections threatens SP Muslim votebank



Why Nitish, Lalu worried by Owaisi's entry?

Owaisi's announcement is a major cause of concern for the grand secular alliance consisting of the JD(U), RJD and Congress, which had been eyeing a clean sweep in the region due to polarisation of the votes in their favour.

The Assembly constituencies in districts such as Kishanganj have been the traditional stronghold of the Congress and the RJD over the years. The BJP, on the other hand, is not expected to do well in the Seemanchal belt. Also Read: Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad stare at double trouble



What Owaisi's entry means for BJP?

With the Congress joining hands with the RJD and JD(U) for the upcoming polls, the BJP faces daunting prospects in the region. Political observers, however, believe that Owaisi's entry into the poll fray would help BJP as he might get a slice of the Muslim votes accounting for more than 16 per cent in the state.

Can AIMIM be a potent force?

Owaisi has already struck the right chords with the youth during his maiden rally at Kishanganj in August where he talked about the underdevelopment of the Seemanchal region and demanded a special package for it. He also took on Nitish and Lalu for doing nothing for the progress of minorities in the state. Also Read: Owaisi brothers are enemies of Indian Muslims, says Aziz Qureshi

