AIMIM Leader Asaduddin Owaisi To Campaign In Jharkhand's Dumri Bypoll

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is set to visit Jharkhand as part of his party's campaign for the Dumri assembly seat by-election. The AIMIM has nominated Md Abdul Mobin Rizvi for this bypoll, which is being closely watched as a contest between the ruling JMM and the BJP-supported AJSU Party.

Owaisi is scheduled to arrive in Ranchi around 8 pm and will address a public rally in support of the AIMIM candidate at the KV High School Ground in Dumri on Wednesday. This by-election is scheduled for September 5, with vote counting taking place on September 8.

The by-election was necessitated by the passing of JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto, the former education minister, in April. The JMM has nominated Mahto's wife, Bebi Devi, as the candidate of the INDIA bloc, while the AJSU Party has fielded Yashoda as the NDA candidate.

Leaders including Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Congress, and RJD seniors are actively campaigning for the JMM candidate, aiming to capitalize on the emotional sentiment surrounding Mahto's demise.

On the other hand, the NDA is focusing its campaign on the alleged shortcomings of the JMM-led state government.

Despite this, AIMIM's state unit president, Md Shakir, expressed confidence in winning the by-election due to the significant minority voter base in the constituency. He stated, "Around 50 per cent of voters are Muslims, Dalits, and tribals. We are hopeful of getting their votes."

Shakir emphasized that the constituency's approximately 30 per cent Muslim voters are not just a mere vote bank and are unwilling to be treated as such.

In the 2019 assembly elections, Mahto secured victory over AJSU Party's Yashoda Devi with a margin of 34,288 votes. AIMIM's Rizvi stood fourth with 24,132 votes.

Shakir expressed confidence that Owaisi's rally would energize their party workers.