AIMIM enters electoral battle in Bihar, vows to fight for development of Seemanchal (Update)

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday announced that his party would contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls and focus on the overall development of the Seemanchal region.

"We will fight the Bihar Assembly elections from the Seemanchal region. We will demand for the overall development of Seemanchal, which is not only backward but also injustice prevails in the region. Our main demand and focus will be that on the lines of Article 371, regional development council must be formed for the overall development of the region," he told the media here.

Owaisi also clarified that there will be no pre-poll alliance.

"There will be no pre-poll alliance. The BJP has always got an advantage whenever we have not fought elections," he said.

Responding to the allegations that he would be dividing the secular votes, Owaisi said, "We did not fight in Jharkhand, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir or in municipal elections of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan..Why do these political parties assume that they are the only flag-bearers of secularism? We also have the capability to take on the communal forces."

The term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly comes to an end on November 29. The polls will be held on October 12, 16, 28, November 1 and 5. Counting of votes will take place on November 8.