As Bihar enters the second phase of polling on Tuesday, the Seemanchal region has become the epicenter of a dramatic political confrontation between the ruling NDA and the opposition Grand Alliance. The electoral fortunes of Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM party hang in the balance across this crucial Muslim-majority territory.
AIMIM's Seemanchal Gamble
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen faces a critical test in Seemanchal, where it had achieved surprising success during the 2020 assembly elections by winning five seats. However, the party's position has significantly weakened since then, with four of its five elected MLAs defecting to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Currently, only state chief Akhtarul Iman remains as the lone loyalist AIMIM legislator. The party has fielded candidates in 11 constituencies, including Iman who faces Congress veteran Abdul Jalil Mastan in Amour. In Balrampur, AIMIM's state spokesperson Adil Hussain takes on CPI(ML)'s sitting MLA Mahboob Alam and Sangeeta Devi of the LJP(RV).
Political Veterans Dominate the Fray
The second phase features several seasoned politicians who have dominated their constituencies for decades. The Congress has fielded six-time winner Abdul Jalil Mastan from Amour, while the RJD has nominated another six-time MLA, Abdus Subhan, from Baisi.
Other prominent veterans include JD(U) minister Leshi Singh, a five-time winner from Dhamdaha, former BJP minister Krishna Kumar Rishi from Banmankhi, and Bima Bharti, another five-time MLA now contesting Rupauli on an RJD ticket. Former deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad of the BJP, a four-time MLA, seeks re-election from Katihar.
A particularly high-profile battle is unfolding in Kadwa, where two-time Congress MLA and CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan faces former MP Dulalchand Gosami of the JD(U). Adding an interesting twist, former IPS officer Shivdeep Wamanrao Lande, once Superintendent of Police of Araria, is contesting as an Independent candidate.
Regional Dynamics and Electoral Arithmetic
The Seemanchal region spans 24 assembly constituencies across four districts: Purnia and Katihar with seven seats each, Araria with six, and Kishanganj with four seats. This area represents a diverse social fabric with a Muslim-majority population and significant presence of EBC, OBC, Dalit, and Adivasi communities, while upper castes remain marginal.
The electoral alliances have clearly demarcated their territories. Under the NDA banner, the BJP is contesting 11 seats, JD(U) 10, and LJP(RV) three. The opposition Grand Alliance features Congress with 12 candidates, RJD with nine, VIP with three, and CPI(ML) with one. The Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) has fielded approximately a dozen candidates across the region.
Women candidates are making their presence felt with notable contenders including JD(U)'s Leshi Singh (Dhamdaha) and Shagufta Azim (Araria), BJP's Devanti Yadav (Narpatganj), RJD's Bima Bharti (Rupauli) and Ishrat Parveen (Pranpur), and JSP's Farhat Ara Begum.
Campaign Strategies and Historical Context
The BJP is banking on recent development initiatives, particularly the inauguration of the long-delayed Purnia airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September, along with promises outlined in the 2025 Union Budget. However, the party's campaign focusing on Bangladeshi 'ghoospaithiya' (infiltrators) appears to have gained limited traction among voters.
Historically a Congress stronghold, Seemanchal underwent significant political transformation during the Mandal-Kamandal politics of the 1990s. In the current electoral scenario, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has urged voters to support "strong local Muslim leadership," while the Grand Alliance has promised to appoint a Muslim deputy chief minister if it emerges victorious.
The NDA faces considerable pressure to defend 12 of the 24 seats it won in 2020, compared to the Grand Alliance's seven and AIMIM's five. With political loyalties shifting and veteran leaders facing determined challengers, the Seemanchal region promises to be a decisive battleground that could significantly influence Bihar's political landscape.
