AIMIM says will form third front in state, irks JD(U), BJP

Patna: Hours after Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM announced to form a third front in Bihar, both JD(U) and BJP reacted sarcastically saying none is interested in them. The AIMIM was not invited to attend the opposition parties’ meeting either in Patna on June 23 or at Bengaluru on Tuesday. The AIMIM had won five seats in the 2020 assembly elections although four of its MLAs later switched over to RJD. Currently, the party is led by Akhtarul Iman, who represents Amour assembly seat.“The AIMIM stands exposed in Bihar. It is the ‘B’ team of BJP and everyone is aware of it. They are free to form a third, fourth or any front, but there is no taker for them,” state JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, adding they have direct contest with BJP. Kumar wondered as to which party would like go with them (AIMIM).The BJP also took a dig at AIMIM, saying everyone is free to do its exercise but there is no vacancy in 2024. Alleging that the AIMIM is guided by the communal agenda to make India an Islamic state, firebrand BJP leader Haribhushan Thakur said there is none to throw a challenge to the BJP right now.“We don’t face any challenge from anywhere,” Thakur said.