Patna: In an unexpected political move ahead of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has nominated Rana Ranjit Singh, a Hindu Rajput, from the Muslim-majority Dhaka constituency in East Champaran. The decision is being viewed as a deliberate effort to move beyond the party’s traditional Muslim vote base and promote social inclusion.
On October 15, Ranjit Singh filed his nomination papers in a symbolic act that drew public attention. He walked barefoot to the election office, wearing both a Namaz cap and a tika on his forehead. When asked about his gesture, Singh said, “I believe in both I love Mohammad and Jai Shri Ram,” underlining his message of harmony. His statement and appearance quickly went viral, sparking discussion about AIMIM’s evolving political direction.
Ranjit Singh hails from an influential political family. His father, Sitaram Singh, was a former MP and minister, and his brother, Rana Randhir Singh, is a BJP MLA known for his Hindu nationalist leanings. Singh’s association with AIMIM, therefore, marks a surprising departure from family tradition and adds a new dimension to the party’s strategy.
AIMIM’s list of 32 candidates this election shows a broader outreach. Analysts believe Owaisi is working to shed the “Muslim-only” image by engaging Dalits, backward classes, and disenchanted Hindu voters. The Dhaka experiment, combining the topi and the tilak, reflects a political gamble that aims to redefine Bihar’s polarized landscape through a message of unity and coexistence.
