Why is Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM not part of Opposition's INDIA?

On July 18, a gathering of 26 political parties unveiled a new name for the oppositional alliance aimed at challenging Narendra Modi's National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the 2024 elections.

The alliance has been christened Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), and its name was proposed by Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and later endorsed by former Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

The two-day meeting in Bengaluru brought together 26 parties under one roof, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, despite their previous enmity.

However, conspicuous by its absence was Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), a prominent critic of the government..

Why was AIMIM overlooked?

One of the main reasons behind AIMIM's exclusion from the opposition meet is the party's strong pro-Muslim image. Though Owaisi claims that the party fights for the rights of Muslims, Dalits, and Adivasis in India, AIMIM primarily resonates with the Muslim community. Furthermore, the party's presence is limited to one Southern state, Telangana, where it holds only 7 MLAs and enjoys the support of Telangana CM K. Chandrasekar Rao.

AIMIM has only 2 Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Lok Sabha, with Asaduddin Owaisi representing Hyderabad and Imtiaz Jaleel from Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

Electoral performance

AIMIM's electoral appeal is predominantly restricted to Muslim voters. In the 2019 elections, the party secured a meager vote share of 0.20%. Notably, the 2019 elections marked the first time the party won 2 MPs in the general elections, whereas previously, AIMIM had held the Hyderabad seat, its bastion since 1984.

Including Owaisi's AIMIM in the opposition alliance could have posed a risk, as it may have alienated non-Muslim voters and impacted the alliance's secular vote base.

Owaisi's perspective

Speaking to Aaj Tak news channel, Owaisi criticized the opposition, asking, "Why is the opposition afraid of using the word 'Muslim'?" He highlighted that Rahul Gandhi won the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Wayanad constituency, which has a substantial 30% Muslim electorate.

"The opposition leaders don't want to be associated with Muslims because they fear it would hurt their vote bank," remarked the AIMIM leader.

Taking a dig at the Congress-led alliance, Owaisi pointed out that it included leaders like Nitish Kumar (JDU) and Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) who had previously aligned with the BJP.

"इनके पास अजीब गुरूर है कि हर एक को कह देते हैं कि B Team है तो इन्हें नहीं बुलाएंगे," असदुद्दीन ओवैसी (अध्यक्ष, AIMIM)#Exclusive #हल्ला_बोल #Politics #Bengaluru | @anjanaomkashyap @asadowaisi pic.twitter.com/XnXlYKXvx2

— AajTak (@aajtak) July 17, 2023

Offering advice to Muslims, Owaisi urged them not to vote blindly, highlighting instances of leaders shifting allegiances after elections.

AIMIM's position in the 2024 elections

AIMIM is not expected to significantly improve its performance compared to the 2019 elections. Lacking support from the opposition alliance, the party may struggle to gain traction among voters.