BSP receives Owaisi's party's support, New equations emerge regarding Muslim votes; will the alliance yield results?

The unconditional support of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) to the Bahujan Samaj Party's Ramgarh candidate, Pintu Yadav, in the Bihar elections has heightened political heat. It's worth noting that the AIMIM formed an alliance with the BSP in the 2020 Bihar elections, winning five seats. Despite the BSP's decision to contest the elections alone this time, Asaduddin Owaisi's party, AIMIM, has kept future prospects alive by offering unconditional support.

Political experts believe that in Uttar Pradesh, as well as Bihar, there is a tussle between the main opposition parties for the Muslim vote bank. In Uttar Pradesh, the BSP finds it difficult to win without the Muslim vote bank. This is why the AIMIM is becoming a favorable candidate for the BSP. However, Mayawati recently announced that the BSP will contest the 2027 UP assembly elections alone. But considering past elections, the BSP's Muslim vote bank is eroding.

Even the party's efforts to appoint Muslim leaders to key positions failed to have any impact. This is why the BSP's vote bank was reduced by half in the last Lok Sabha elections. The BSP, which had won 10 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the SP, lost them in the 2024 elections. This clearly demonstrates that Muslims did not vote for the BSP. It's worth noting that the BSP fielded 21 Muslim candidates in the 2024 elections. In these circumstances, the BSP may need a party like the AIMIM to maintain its presence.