Will contest 100 seats, provide third alternative to Bihar: AIMIM
Patna (PTI): The AIMIM, which has been spurned by the INDIA bloc in Bihar, on Saturday said it was planning to contest around 100 seats in the upcoming state assembly polls, five times the number it had fought in the last elections.
The party, headed by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, claimed that it was aiming to build a "third alternative" in Bihar, where politics has, for years, been all about the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-RJD combine.
Talking to PTI-Bhasha, the AIMIM's state president Akhtarul Iman said, "Our plan is to contest 100 seats. Both the NDA and the 'Mahagathbandhan' (the name by which the INDIA bloc is known in Bihar) will be forced to realise our presence."
He also claimed that the 'Mahagathbandhan', which had in 2020 accused the AIMIM of splitting secular votes, can no longer do so.
"It is now common knowledge that I wrote to (RJD president) Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav, expressing willingness for a tie-up. But no response came.
"Now, we must do all that we can to expand our footprints. Yes, we are also in talks with like-minded parties to explore the possibility of a third front. It will all be clear in a few days", said the AIMIM leader.
The elections to the 243-member Bihar assembly will be held on November 6 and 11, and the counting of votes will take place on November 14.
The AIMIM had contested the 2020 assembly polls in alliance with former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's BSP and the now-abolished Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, headed by ex-Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, who has since floated a new outfit, Rashtriya Lok Morcha, and joined the NDA.
In the last assembly polls, the AIMIM had won five seats and was understood to have damaged the RJD, Congress, and the Left combine in a number of other assembly segments.
In 2022, however, four MLAs of the AIMIM joined the RJD.
Iman, who had himself previously been in the RJD as well as the JD(U) headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is now the lone legislator of the AIMIM.
According to political observers, the AIMIM sees a catchment area in Bihar, where Muslims are more than 17 per cent of the total population but have never got a proportionate representation in the state legislature.
Last month, Owaisi flew down to the Seemanchal region and toured, over a course of four days, districts like Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar and Purnea, which have a substantial population of the minority community.
Although Owaisi has been charging the RJD, JD(U) and the Congress with apathy towards Muslims, the barrister-politician is, in turn, accused of being "a B team of the BJP", which cuts into "secular votes" to help the saffron party.
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Rajasthan CM Sharma invites Karnataka to partner in agritech transformation
Bengaluru (PTI): Asserting that Rajasthan is evolving and embracing progressive change, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Sunday invited Karnataka and industry stakeholders present in Bengaluru to partner with the state in shaping a “new agricultural revolution.”
The CM was speaking at an investor meet organised in Bengaluru under the ‘Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM)–2026’, aimed at positioning Rajasthan as a leading hub for agricultural innovation, agritech investment, and global partnerships.
“Rajasthan is moving toward building a strong agritech-driven economy by integrating its traditional agricultural strengths with modern technology. The state government is creating an investor-friendly environment,” Sharma said.
“Out of the Rs 35 lakh crore MoUs signed during the 2024 Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit, Rs 9 lakh crore worth of investments have already been grounded, and we welcome all stakeholders to be part of this transformative journey,” he added.
Emphasising the synergy between the two states, he said, “Rajasthan is growing, evolving and embracing progressive change, and together with Karnataka, we can further strengthen our farmers by equipping them with the latest technologies and building a future of shared prosperity.”
Highlighting the shared vision between the two states, he added, “Bengaluru and Rajasthan share a long-standing, cordial relationship built on innovation and progress.”
“As Rajasthan advances steadily toward becoming a Viksit Rajasthan, we invite Bengaluru and Karnataka to partner with us in shaping a new agricultural revolution,” he said.
The event was hosted by the Agriculture Department, Government of Rajasthan, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Rajasthan Foundation.
The investor meet witnessed participation from key stakeholders across agriculture, agritech, industry, and investment sectors.
The CM said that through GRAM 2026, the government is committed to ushering in a new era of agricultural transformation by modernising farming practices, enhancing farmers’ incomes, and connecting them with cutting-edge technologies such as AI and agritech innovations, while expanding access to food processing and global markets.
“This landmark initiative will bring together thousands of farmers, experts and investors on a single, dynamic platform,” he said.
He further noted that the government is integrating key departments—including agriculture, electricity, cooperatives, animal husbandry and fisheries—to create a unified ecosystem for holistic farmer development.
“Our goal is to harness technology to drive sustainable growth and empower our farmers with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive,” he added.
Highlighting progress in the agriculture sector, Rajasthan Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena said the state government is strengthening the agritech ecosystem through policy support, infrastructure development and innovation, creating a conducive environment for investors and entrepreneurs.
During the event, a film on GRAM 2026 was showcased, highlighting opportunities in Rajasthan’s agriculture and agritech sectors, an official release said.
Extensive deliberations on agriculture, agritech, investment and partnership opportunities were held during the meet, with participants exploring collaborative pathways to strengthen the sector.
The main event, GRAM 2026, is scheduled to be held from May 23 to 25, 2026, in Jaipur, with expected participation from investors, industry leaders and policymakers from across India and abroad.
As part of the preparatory outreach, roadshows have already been conducted in Jaipur and New Delhi, with more planned across major cities to further expand the reach of the initiative, the release added.
