Patna: The upcoming Bihar Assembly elections have once again highlighted the declining political representation of Muslims in the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not fielded a single Muslim candidate among the 243 constituencies, while its allies and opposition parties have offered limited space to the community.
According to party lists, the Janata Dal (United) has fielded four Muslim candidates and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) only one. The main opposition, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has allotted tickets to 18 Muslim candidates, while the Congress has named four. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Asaduddin Owaisi, has announced 21 Muslim candidates out of its 23 seats.
Muslims comprise about 16.87 percent of Bihar’s population, according to the 2011 Census, yet their share of candidacies remains far below this figure. Political observers note that the BJP’s stance aligns with its track record of excluding Muslims from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The JD(U), despite its earlier appeal to minorities under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has disappointed its Muslim support base by limiting representation.
The RJD, known for its Muslim-Yadav (M-Y) alliance, has prioritized Yadav candidates this time, giving them roughly 40 percent of its tickets despite their smaller population share of 14.26 percent. Analysts say Bihar’s political landscape now heavily favors caste-based voting blocs, while Muslim representation continues to decline, leaving the community politically sidelined.
, RJD, Congress, and AIMIM offer limited representation, reflecting a sharp decline in Muslim political presence across the state.){kind=link}