Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Unnao, Sakshi Maharaj on Wednesday took a dig at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi saying he had helped the BJP in the Bihar assembly elections and would also help in the polls in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
According to a report by NDTV, while speaking to the media, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj said: "It is God's grace. May God give him strength. He helped us in Bihar and will help in Uttar Pradesh and later in West Bengal too."
The AIMIM has often been referred to as the 'B' team of the BJP since it helps in polarising votes on religious lines. However, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly resented the tag and has denied having helped BJP with his brand of politics.
Owaisi had contested last year's elections in Bihar, which was said to have cut into the Muslim votes that go to the opposition, leading to the NDA's victory. His party won five seats in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region -- a large figure given that the NDA won just 15 more seats than the Grand Alliance.
After the elections, the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal had dubbed him the 'B Team of the BJP'.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) has now announced that the party likely to contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls under an electoral pact with regional outfit Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). The SBSP, headed by former UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar, is garnering smaller and regional parties under the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha.
(Inputs from Agencies)
