Asaduddin Owaisi pens to Lalu Yadav, seeks to join Mahagathbandhan for Bihar polls

Asaduddin Owaisi's party, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has expressed its intent to join the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar ahead of the 2025 assembly elections.

In a letter, AIMIM’s Bihar state president and MLA Akhtarul Iman urged Lalu Prasad to include the party in the Mahagathbandhan to "prevent the division of secular votes".

Over the past few days, several AIMIM leaders have publicly expressed their desire to align with the Mahagathbandhan and claimed that discussions are ongoing with Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav and the Congress. However, no progress has been made on this front so far.

According to sources, Tejashwi Yadav has said that he has not received any direct message from the AIMIM



leadership. In response, AIMIM has now taken a formal step by writing a letter to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav.

"It is the division of secular votes that benefits communal forces," the letter says.

Akhtarul Iman also highlighted that AIMIM had shown interest in joining the alliance both during the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but their efforts had failed.

The letter once again emphasises AIMIM's intent to join hands with the RJD and Congress for the 2025 polls, saying the need for unity to consolidate the secular vote bank.

"We wish to be part of the Mahagathbandhan so that we can fight the 2025 elections together and prevent the division of secular votes," the letter concludes.