It’s an early October morning in Bihar’s Kishanganj. The winter chill has just begun, and a soft sunlight spreads across the town. It’s October 23rd, and we are at the AIMIM head office, where a crowd of local journalists is waiting, somewhat impatiently, for Akhtarul Iman.
The AIMIM Bihar president, a sitting MLA from Amour and one of the most prominent faces of Seemanchal politics, is contesting again from his home turf. But this time, his campaign trail has been shadowed by controversy. Allegations have surfaced against some party leaders and ticket aspirants, charges of “money for tickets” that the party has never faced before.
As minutes stretch into hours, the mood among journalists turns from curiosity to frustration. Cameras are ready, mics are out, and everyone is waiting for that one statement, the clarification from Akhtarul Iman himself.
Finally, a white Fortuner pulls up. Akhtar sahab steps out, surrounded by his team, and heads straight into the press-conference room.
After the press conference ends, we approach him for an interview. He’s in a hurry, his schedule packed with rallies and meetings across Seemanchal, but he stops, smiles, and gives us a few minutes.
Mohammad Qasim:In the 2020 election, AIMIM made a remarkable impact in Seemanchal by winning five seats. You offered people an alternative. But this time, the challenge seems different, especially after four of your MLAs left the party midway. How do you see the challenge this time?
Akhtarul Iman: The last time was a challenge, and this time too, it is one. I have chosen this path knowing that challenges will always come. I believe we will overcome all these difficulties and achieve even greater success. Yes, four MLAs left us, but the people who made them MLAs, our workers and our supporters, are still with us.
Mohammad Qasim: There are allegations that you and your party have taken money in exchange for tickets. Some are saying that candidates were asked to pay. How do you respond to these accusations?
Akhtarul Iman: First, ask who these people are making such allegations. Look at their mindset and why they are saying this. Most of them are those who were hoping for tickets but didn’t get one. Or they are people who want to weaken our party from within.
There were even some agents of other parties who entered AIMIM just to disturb the atmosphere. But we also have many dedicated workers who didn’t get tickets and are still standing firmly with us.
Even RJD and Congress cut tickets, why? Because we are not powerful or aggressive in the same way. We are decent people, and that’s why such things are done to us.
I had already said in my speeches that there are five or seven contenders for each seat, but only one will get the ticket. If you can stay with the party even after not getting it, stay. If not, it’s better to step aside.
Even my own brother was a contender, and I didn’t give him the ticket, why doesn’t anyone see that? The people of Seemanchal have shown faith in me, and I can’t betray that faith. We gave tickets to those who truly represented the people and were selected through our internal surveys.
Mohammad Qasim: Are you also in favour of giving tickets to wealthy candidates, like other parties often do?
Akhtarul Iman: When we decide on a candidate, we look at who has people’s support and whether that person is truly capable of running a campaign. We have to see if the candidate can cover the basic requirements of an election, things like printing materials, arranging transport, even managing the cost of a helicopter if needed. These are practical realities, and we can’t ignore them. But it doesn’t mean we sell tickets. It means we assess whether a candidate can actually sustain the fight.
Mohammad Qasim: Then how is AIMIM different from other political parties?
Akhtarul Iman: AIMIM is different because we don’t divide people. We are not opportunists. We stand with the poor, the marginalized, and those whose voices are ignored. AIMIM speaks for the pain of Seemanchal. Wherever our leader Asaduddin Owaisi went, across rivers and remote areas, bridges and development projects have started coming up.
Whenever injustice happens in Bihar, we are the ones who speak out. That’s what makes us different.
Mohammad Qasim: What about jailed Muslim activist Sharjeel Imam? He had announced that he would contest from Bahadurganj and later withdrew his candidacy due to lack of support from both the system and mainstream political parties. Why didn’t you support him?
Akhtarul Iman:We have sympathy for Sharjeel Imam and the struggle he is going through. But as far as his decision to contest the election is concerned, I had no information about it, nor did I have any communication with him or his team regarding that matter.
Mohammad Qasim: Has there ever been any conversation between you and the Mahagathbandhan, RJD or Congress, about a possible alliance?
Akhtarul Iman: I’ve made every effort for it, and those who had their eyes open saw it. I even wrote letters that were public. I beat the drum, so to speak, to let everyone know, but they chose to ignore it.
Mohammad Qasim: The situation at the proposed Aligarh Muslim University campus in Kishanganj has been poor for years. What have you done about it?
Akhtarul Iman: After the Sachar Committee report, the Fatimi Committee was formed. It had recommended improving the conditions of Muslims through better representation in jobs and education. But the UPA government didn’t act on those recommendations. The reservations that were meant to be implemented for social upliftment were never realized.
The committee also suggested expanding the Aligarh Muslim University model to improve educational access and proposed five centres, in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Murshidabad, and Kishanganj.
In the Bihar Assembly, I personally fought for the Kishanganj campus. I got the House adjourned three times over this issue. I was the only one raising my voice for it, and along with my friends, we ran a campaign on the ground. But later, both the Nitish Kumar government and the NDA government kept delaying it deliberately. In this, everyone together betrayed us.
Mohammad Qasim: AIMIM is often accused of being the “B-Team” of the BJP and of promoting communal politics. How do you respond to that?
Akhtarul Iman: Just think back to the last parliamentary election, Tejashwi Yadav himself said in Purnia, “If you’re not voting for INDIA, then vote for NDA.” Now tell me, who is the B-Team here?
I talk about the pain and neglect of Seemanchal. In Araria, Purnia, and Kishanganj, around 40–45 percent of the population is Muslim and 55 percent non-Muslim, but are the non-Muslims living any better? I fight for everyone, not just for one community.
There’s no one more secular than us. These accusations are baseless, completely bogus
