Patna: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Azad Samaj Party (ASP), and Apna Janata Party (AJP) have joined forces to form a new political front named the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. The alliance aims to present a joint platform representing Dalits, OBCs, and minorities in the state.
Announcing the alliance in Kishanganj, AIMIM Bihar president Akhtarul Iman said the GDA would contest at least 64 of the 243 Assembly seats. AIMIM will field candidates in 35 constituencies, the Azad Samaj Party in 25, and the Apna Janata Party in four. Iman added that the seat distribution may expand based on discussions with other like-minded secular groups.
He stated that AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi had suggested limiting the contest to regions where the three parties have a strong base to allow other secular allies to participate. “The GDA partners have long represented the oppressed and underprivileged communities in Bihar. This alliance aims to give a unified voice to Dalits, OBCs, and minorities,” Iman said.
Chandrasekhar Azad’s Azad Samaj Party and Swami Prasad Maurya’s Apna Janata Party are expected to play a key role in mobilising ground support across western and central Bihar. With elections scheduled in two phases on November 6 and 11, the GDA is positioning itself as a coalition seeking to challenge both the NDA and the INDIA bloc by appealing to marginalised groups.
