Narendra Modi grooms AIMIM against the Congress Party. Narendra Modi has been working on an old epithet – divide and rule, a tool of the British India. He is on a mission of snatching the Muslim votes from Congress. In his endeavours he has been indirectly enabling Asaduddin Owaisi, the supremo of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Party to sway on the Muslim votes. Since 2013, Modi has been working on all India plan to grab the Muslim vote bank from Congress systematically.
In Telangana Owaisi was made to align with K. Chandrasekhara Rao (KCR). He enjoyed the alignment dividends for many years. He switched sides and sided with the Congress in 2024 State elections, though indirectly. Owaisi impressed upon the Muslims that KCR had tricked them and was in a deal with the BJP. He succeeded in over throwing KCR government and now Owaisi rejoicing the friendship of the Congress. He directly helped Congress winning the Jubilee Hills Assembly bye-elections by enabling Naveen Yadav win in 2025.
The AIMIM wrecked Congress in 2020 and 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. It deprived of a probable win by Congress. Modi indirectly helped it win by nominating weak candidates in all the constituencies it contested. It was part of an indiscrete deal by the BJP.
The Muslim electorate had been facing leadership crisis in India for decades now. They have been voting for the Congress party but the Babri Masjid fiasco drifted most of the Muslim vote-bank, in Northern India particularly Uttar Pradesh. The Samajwadi Party benefitted from it and the entire Muslim community of UP changed sides. The Congress Party had lost the confidence of the Muslims. Conciliation has been at work for a long time but Modi is out to thwart the motives of the Congress Party and hence Modi is playing games with the AIMIM.
Narendra Modi grooms AIMIM against the Congress Party – The moves of the AIMIM elsewhere in the county
There have been notable cases of local-level alliances or tie-ups between BJP and AIMIM units in Maharashtra’s civic body elections held in December 2025, which have fuelled speculation about indirect collaboration or poaching tactics. These alliances often occur in hung municipal councils to secure control. The AIMIM has been contesting elections and has won a second Parliamentary seat for it from Aurangabad (Now Shambhaji Nagar) in 2019.
The AIMIM contested the recent Maharashtra Municipal Corporation (civic body) elections held in early January 2026 for 29 Municipal Corporations. It achieved its strongest performance to date in these polls. The party won approximately 120-126 seats across various Municipal Corporations. It has marked a significant increase from previous local elections (e.g., around 81 seats in 2017 in comparable polls).
The party contested in 24-25 Municipal Corporations and focused on Muslim-majority or mixed urban wards, some wins included Hindus, Dalits, Buddhists. This expanded its footprint from traditional bases like Marathwada to wider areas in Vidarbha, Mumbai, and beyond. In smaller local bodies (e.g., Nagar Parishads), the AIMIM grabbed seats and even a Mayor’s post in places like Karanja (Washi district).
The results reflect AIMIM’s growing influence in urban pockets, often at the expense of traditional secular parties in minority-dominated areas. The AIMIM grabbed the Muslim vote bank from Congress, Samajwadi Party, and NCP. It is what Modi wanted to achieve and devoid the Congress of the Muslim votes. Modi’s move diverted a portion of Muslim votes away from secular opposition parties in key constituencies, indirectly aiding BJP victories by fragmenting the anti-BJP vote bank. It has been a recurring phenomenon in elections, such as in Bihar (2020 and 2025), Gujarat (2022).
BJD alleged BJP’s Operation Lotus behind grassroots defections after Naveen Patnaik’s loss. However, in several hung bodies, local BJP units formed surprising post-poll alliances with AIMIM (and even Congress in some cases), leading to accusations of poaching or opportunistic deals.
In a surprising tie-up, the local BJP unit allied directly with AIMIM to gain control of the council. It was part of a broader pattern where BJP, despite not having a clear majority, partnered with AIMIM to edge out rivals like Shiv Sena or Congress. The move was highlighted as throwing up “another surprise” in Maharashtra’s fractured politics, following similar Congress-BJP pacts elsewhere.
The local BJP leaders forged an alliance with both Congress and AIMIM to keep the Shiv Sena (UBT) out of power. The tripartite deal was quickly disavowed by BJP’s state unit, with Fadnavis issuing directives to dissolve it. Congress responded by suspending 12 of its local leaders involved.
In Washim, Risod, and Karanja Municipal Councils BJP swept Washim and Risod as the single largest party, but AIMIM made a debut win in Karanja by securing key seats. There were reports of informal understandings or poaching attempts where BJP allegedly encouraged AIMIM defectors or alliances in adjacent areas to prevent opposition coalitions. It contributed to BJP’s dominance in the district.
In Delhi (2025), Maharashtra civic polls (2026), Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, where AIMIM’s participation in Muslim-majority areas is said to dilute opposition strength. It aligns most closely with the vote-splitting theory developed by BJP. AIMIM positions itself as a dedicated advocate for Muslim issues which can draw votes from Muslims disillusioned with Congress’s perceived inaction, anti-Modi factions or soft Hindutva.
Narendra Modi grooms AIMIM against the Congress Party – Modi to confuse the Muslims in 2029 elections.
The AIMIM has expanded into West Bengal contesting seats and splitting votes from all the Muslim dominated areas in the past elections. Mamata Banerjee accused BJP of funding AIMIM in 2021 polls. BJP has already succeeded in grooming Humayun Kabir, an MLA of TMC. The TMC suspended him. He has declared that he would build a Mosque on the lines of Babri Masjid in West Bengal. The BJP did not react to it.
The AIMIM would vie with the Congress to woo the Muslims along with TMC and the BJP would like to split the Muslim votes and might like to get a majority by confusing the Muslim voters; the BJP has got a tool of SIR to deprive the opposition of the Muslim votes. It is a three-pronged strategy of splitting votes on which Modi has been working.
Several AIMIM candidates and workers reportedly defected to BJP ahead of or after the polls. For instance, in 2022, AIMIM’s Gujarat unit faced resignations where leaders like Sabir Kabliwala accused Owaisi of being a “BJP agent” before joining other parties, though some indirectly aligned with BJP. In 2025 municipal polls, similar whispers emerged in Ahmedabad, where BJP was accused of poaching AIMIM corporators to bolster its majority.
Modi would like to improve his tally in 2029 to get rid of coalition partners to achieve his dream of a Hindu state in his lifetime. BJP’s 2024 Lok Sabha win relied on coalitions (e.g., TDP, JD(U), and critics do accuse the party of pursuing a Hindu Rashtra agenda. Enabling vote splitters like AIMIM could theoretically boost seats in future elections, reducing coalition dependence.
Modi may like decimate and erase the political legacy of the Congress in the electoral battles since he is afflicted of the Gandhi family phobia. The BJP has indeed targeted Congress’s legacy through campaigns against dynasty politics and the Gandhi family. Its target has been the Gandhi family and more so Rahul Gandhi who has been attacking Narendra Modi, the RSS and the Adani and Ambani groups.
Narendra Modi grooms AIMIM against the Congress Party – Modicide effect on the AIMIM when the time comes
“Modicide” refers to the strategic dismantling of regional parties and their leaders in India by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Modicide was a “political weedicide” involving inducements like positions and money to co-opt regional leaders, followed by the takeover of their political setups by BJP agents or cadres to establish BJP-led state governments. Modicide could be used against the AIMIM, though Modi would not be able to take over it, yet he would side line it once Modi achieves his goal of isolating the Congress Party from the election scene, which would be unlikely.
Narendra Modi grooms AIMIM against the Congress Party – The Conclusion
Narendra Modi has been working on an old epithet – divide and rule, a tool of the British India. He is on a mission of snatching the Muslim votes from Congress. In his endeavours he has been indirectly enabling Asaduddin Owaisi, the supremo of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Party to sway on the Muslim votes.
Modi’s move diverted a portion of Muslim votes away from secular opposition parties in key constituencies, indirectly aiding BJP victories by fragmenting the anti-BJP vote bank. It has been a recurring phenomenon in elections, such as in Bihar (2020 and 2025), Gujarat (2022).
Modi may like decimate and erase the political legacy of the Congress in the electoral battles since he is afflicted of the Gandhi family phobia. Modicide could be used against the AIMIM, though Modi would not be able to take over it, yet he would side line it once Modi achieves his goal of isolating the Congress Party from the election scene, which would be unlikely.