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Hyderabad: The All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has started its ‘Operation Bihar’ to identify suitable candidates for the upcoming elections in the eastern state scheduled to be held soon.

The party is banking on its Bihar unit chief Akhtarul Iman, who has been longtime associated with the AIMIM in Bihar to propose suitable candidates for the elections.

The AIMIM has managed to gain considerable ground in Bihar and in last elections held in 2020 it won five seats – Amour, Kochadhamam, Jokihat, Baisi and Bahadurganj of the 20 seats it had contested. However, since then four out of the five legislators quit the party and joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

The party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections contested from eight seats in the state but could not win any seat. AIMIM sources said preparations are underway to identify candidates and that the party will select suitable candidates having tasted bitterness after four of the party MLAs defected to the RJD in 2020 after winning on AIMIM ticket.

The party in recent times tried to become a part of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the INC, and other parties. However, so far things have not worked out and the party is likely to contest without any alliance with any other party.

The AIMIM leadership is expected to field candidates from many seats keeping in view the present scenario in the country. It will try to cash upon the Wakf Amendment Act, Uniform Civil Code, CAA/NRC, then local issues in Bihar such as unemployment, minority rights, education etc.

The party sees the Seemanchal region as a favourable ground in Bihar. In the 2020 assembly elections it fielded 20 candidates of which 14 were in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region. The Seemanchal area comprises the districts of Purnia, Katihar, Araria and Kishanganj. It has a large Muslim population that has traditionally voted for the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress.

The AIMIM first contested in the 2015 Assembly election in six seats in Seemanchal without significant success. In the following election in 2019 Lok Sabha poll it contested from some seats and its candidates were the runner-ups, or close behind, in some seats. However, prior to 2020 it managed to win a by-election.

The Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be a multi-cornered contest with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Janata Dal (United) and the BJP facing off against the Mahagathbandhan. Performance of the NDA government in Bihar, particularly on issues such as development, law and order, and social welfare, will be a key factor influencing the outcome.