New Delhi: After winning five seats in the recently held Bihar Assembly elections, the Asaddudin Owaisi led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is preparing for the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal. It is highly expected that the party will field Muslim candidates and the party president, Asaduddin Owaisi will raise CAA and NRC issues during the poll campaign.
Hopes of BJP leaders raised
However, the entry of AIMIM into Bengal has raised the hopes of BJP leaders as they believe that fielding Muslim candidates and raising issues such as CAA and NRC would consolidate Hindu votes.
One of the BJP leaders said that AIMIM’s ideology and the issues it raises not only consolidate Hindus’ votes but also helps the Saffron party in gaining the support of moderates too.
Although the BJP accepts that AIMIM’s presence would help them, it, however, rejects the allegation that Owaisi’s party is Saffron party’s “B-Team”.
Earlier, Owaisi said his party has every right to contest the election in any part of India.
“We will be going to West Bengal and we will also be contesting in Uttar Pradesh. As a political party, we have every right to contest in any state. Nobody can stop us,” he said
Muslims in West Bengal
BJP leaders believe that out of 294 constituencies of Bengal Assembly polls, Muslims can play a key role in 75-80.
It may be mentioned that Muslims constitute 27 percent of Bengal’s population. In some districts such as Malda, North Dinajpur and Murshidabad, Muslims constitute more than 50 percent population.