The Congress party has launched an attack on Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM party, accusing them of cutting the votes of the Mahagathbandhan in the assembly elections in Bihar.

The party’s West Bengal unit chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has claimed that the BJP used Owaisi to target them in the polls. The Member of Parliament further claimed that the Chirag Paswan-led LJP was utilized to bring down JDU’s tally of seats in the polls.

“We were assured of a victory in Bihar but then some smaller parties cost us. Owaisi's party has played a role in cutting our votes, Owaisi has been used by the BJP to target us. The BJP has used the LJP to cut down Nitish Kumar's votes,” Chowdhury was quoted as saying by News18.

The Seemanchal and Kosi regions in Bihar play host to a significant amount of Muslim population. The AIMIM fielded 20 candidates in the elections and a majority of them contested in the districts of Katihar, Purnea, Araria and Kishanganj. The party managed to win five constituency seats, namely, Baisi, Amour, Kochadhaman, Bahadurganj and Jokihat and secured an overall vote share of 1.24 per cent.

The Congress had termed AIMIM to be the B-team of the BJP ahead of the final phase of voting on November 7. It had questioned Owaisi’s rationale of contesting with only nine candidates in his home state of Telangana but fielding more than double of that in Bihar.

However, the 51-year-old MP has already set his sights on the legislative polls in West Bengal next year. Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said, “We will contest election in West Bengal, if our party member is ready to fight. Will surely take a decision on it.”