AIMIM Slips in Bihar as Owaisi’s Influence Fades, Leads Only in Three Seats
After a strong Seemanchal breakthrough in 2020, the Owaisi-led AIMIM is leading only in Kochadhaman and Baisi, signalling a weakened performance in the 2025 Bihar polls
The Asaduddin Owaisi–led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which created a political ripple in Bihar with five wins in the 2020 Assembly polls, appears to be losing momentum in 2025. Early trends show the party leading in only three seats — Kochadhaman, Amour and Baisi — marking a notable decline from its previous performance.
This comes despite AIMIM’s ambitious plan to expand its footprint. After being denied entry into the INDIA bloc, Owaisi had vowed to contest “100 seats” across Bihar. However, on October 19, 2025, the party formally announced 25 candidates, including two non-Muslims, signalling a strategic outreach beyond its core vote base.
AIMIM’s 2020 Breakthrough
The party had made a strong entry into Bihar politics in 2020, winning five seats in the Seemanchal region, a socio-economically deprived belt with a significant Muslim population. The winning constituencies and candidates were:
-
Amour (Purnea): Akhtarul Iman
-
Baisi (Purnea): Syed Ruknuddin Ahmed
-
Jokihat (Araria): Shahnawaz Alam
-
Kochadhaman (Kishanganj): Mohammad Izhar Asfi
-
Bahadurganj (Kishanganj): Mohammad Anzar Nayeemi
Owaisi had described the outcome as a “win for the people of Seemanchal” and a mandate for long-denied justice and development.
Slide in 2025
In this election, however, AIMIM’s influence appears muted. With the NDA sweeping early trends and the Mahagathbandhan consolidating its core support, the party’s reach in Seemanchal seems to have reduced. The only bright spots so far are Kochadhaman and Baisi, the two constituencies where it has managed to secure leads.
Analysts attribute the decline to tactical voting, shifting regional dynamics, and the lack of a broader alliance. As counting continues, AIMIM’s early slump stands out as one of the key narratives of the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls.
