Muslim-dominated Kishanganj Lok Sabha seat in Bihar is likely to witness a triangular fight with Asadudddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) hinging on Muslim vote split and trying to cash in on anti-incumbency reportedly faced by Congress MP.
Kishanganj, with over 68 per cent Muslim voters, will go to polls in phase 2 on April 26. While the Congress has given a ticket to MP Mohammad Jawed, the Janata Dal (United) has fielded Mujahid Alam. Bihar AIMIM president Akhtarul Iman has also thrown his hat into the ring. With AIMIM not finding it so easy to split Muslim votes, the grand alliance candidate apparently has an edge, claimed a local Congress leader.
Poll-wise
The Kishanganj constituency has six assembly segments. Four MLAs are from the RJD and one each from the Congress and the AIMIM. In the 2020 Bihar assembly poll, the AIMIM sprung a surprise and won five seats. Four MLAs switched loyalty to the RJD. In 2019 LS poll, Congress’s Mohammad Jawed won who got 33.32 per cent votes against JDU’s Mahmood Ashraf, who got 30.19 per cent votes.
The geography
Kishanganj is a part of Seemanchal region. It borders West Bengal and Nepal and is close to Indo-Bangladesh border. Issues like the CAA have not rattled people. Price rise, poverty, migration, unemployment and poor healthcare among other issues are of serious concern.
PM’s CAA
Prime Minister Modi raised CAA at his recent rally in neighbouring West Bengal’s Purnea. People rejected it as poll gimmicks, said a journalist. Kishanganj is one of the poorest districts with a per capita income of Rs 23,000 (Economic Survey 2022) and a low literacy rate.
