 "Asaduddin Owaisi")
The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM)’s decision to independently contest the Bihar election has evoked sharp reactions from various political parties. Dismissing the criticism, MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi said his party has every right to go national and would contribute to the development of Bihar. In a telephonic interview with Sanjay Jog, Owaisi rules out any tie-up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance or the ‘grand alliance’ of the Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress. Edited excerpts:
What prompted you to contest the upcoming Bihar elections?
First of all, let me make it clear to you that I want to expand my party’s base like any other party. Why so much noise about it? Why other parties are scared? I have announced that the MIM would field its candidates only in the Seemanchal region, which has 24 Assembly seats. Why parties should object to MIM’s decision to contest from Seemanchal? There are 219 seats which the BJP, Lok Janshakti Party, JD(U), RJD, Congress and other parties can contest and win.
What will be your party's poll agenda?
My party will approach the voters with the development plank. Bihar's development needs further push. Successive governments have miserably failed to increase the pace of growth. MIM will be the voice for Seemanchal. The party will demand the establishment of regional development council under Article 371 of the Constitution to achieve speedy development of Seemanchal in particular and Bihar in general.
Further, Seemanchal does not have a Muslim population alone but of other religions and castes. There are not enough schools, colleges, post-graduate and engineering institutions. Besides, the infant mortality rate is high. MIM will focus on these issues and party legislators will pursue them after the new government is formed.
According to the BJP, MIM's identity politics does not go well with its development vision. It will help the BJP. What is your comment?
I totally deny this. I want to reiterate that MIM has taken a conscious decision to fight the Bihar poll on development. Our's is the only party to demand setting up of a regional development council.
What is the BJP doing? The party contested the Lok Sabha promising development and good governance. However, what BJP-led governments are up to now? The development has been slow; inflation is yet to be tackled. Industrial and agricultural growth has taken a beating, while stock markets have crashed. The BJP is implementing its communal agenda in the country. I will continue to oppose the communal politics.
The Congress, JD(U) and RJD have alleged that MIM would eat into secular votes and thereby help the BJP. What is your take?
Why are they targeting MIM alone? MIM had not contested Assembly elections in Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Delhi and also civic polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka. Still the BJP won. Why those claiming to be sworn by secularism cannot defeat communal BJP? How MIM's decision to contest seats from Seemanchal will affect their poll prospects. MIM will exhort party rank and file in the rest of the state to support secular candidates or secular combination for BJP's defeat. Therefore, there is no question of supporting the BJP or communal forces pre- or post-election in Bihar.
I will never compromise on my political ideology. MIM and BJP are ideologically different. It is just not possible that two extreme ends of a sea come together.
