VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html Watch: This sweeper operates at 80km/h on China roads; video goes viral Aria Thorpe: UK teenager accused of murdering 9-year-old girl claims she ‘walked into the knife’ during playfighting | World News MP Board class 10 second exam result 2026 declared, pass percentage at 40.47% among regular students Australian Crawl to reunite after 40 years for Red Hot Summer Tour alongside Men at Work: Lineup, dates, and ticket info revealed One of America’s biggest investor Michael Burry, whose fund has taken positions against Nvidia and Palantir, invests in Chinese stock BABA Jun 16, 2026, 15:51 IST Zepto IPO: Can 10-minute delivery survive public-market scrutiny? HBSE Haryana Board announces Class 10, 12 compartment exam dates 2026: Check full schedule here Ian McKellen takes hilarious jab against US President Donald Trump: Screamed ‘Mar-a-Lago!’ on ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ set’ 10 most colourful snakes in the world and where to spot them in the wild When Sundar Pichai cracked an ‘AI’ joke during his Stanford University speech: Difficult to not talk about AI because my name… Kuwait launches 15-year residency scheme for foreign investors with KD5m minimum investment | World News NEW DELHI: Asaduddin Owaisi, the president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), is all set to do a Bihar in Uttar Pradesh.Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are nearly 8-9 months away and all key stakeholders are busy firming up their strategies for the high-stakes contest. But the AIMIM president is already in action mode with a tried and tested strategy that can put some opposition parties in a Catch-22 situation.Owaisi on Sunday held a rally in UP’s Bahraich, a strategically chosen district, to not just launch his party’s UP campaign but also to throw a now-familiar challenge to the opposition parties: “We are ready to join hands with you to prevent the BJP from returning to power provided we are treated with respect and accorded equal status within that alliance.”While on the one hand Owaisi reached out to the opposition parties, on the other he threw an open challenge to the Samajwadi Party by announcing Shaukat Ali as the AIMIM candidate from the Matera assembly constituency in Bahraich. The seat at present is with the SP which is the main opposition player in the state.Now, those who have followed the politics of the AIMIM chief would have a sense of deja vu. He has followed the same template in Bihar and Maharashtra.Let’s rewind and go back to the 2025 Bihar assembly elections.AIMIM’s Bihar PlaybookThe AIMIM added a new and interesting dimension to politics in the run up to the 2025 assembly elections in Bihar. In a first of its kind, they held a protest demanding their party’s inclusion in the opposition’s Mahagathbandhan alliance.The AIMIM workers held a demonstration with drums outside the residence of former CM Rabri Devi and Lalu Prasad demanding space in the opposition INDIA bloc to “prevent a split of secular votes”.The unique protest not just made for good optics but also put immense pressure on the INDIA bloc parties – the RJD and the Congress- who eventually did not agree to the AIMIM alliance.The AIMIM contested on 28 seats and won 5 with a vote share of 1.89%, while the INDIA bloc allies were decimated by the NDA.Failed Maharashtra outreachEarlier in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections also, the AIMIM reached out to the opposition Maha Vikas Agadhi for an alliance. The AIMIM state president wrote a letter to MVA members stating they were open to alliance talks. However, the Congress, Shiv Sena and the NCP rejected AIMIM’s outreach.The party eventually contested 16 assembly seats alone but was successful in retaining only one of the two assembly seats it had won in the 2019 polls.UP strategyNow, let’s shift our focus back to Uttar Pradesh.First, let’s discuss Owaisi’s choice of Bahraich for his launch rally. The Matera assembly constituency in Bahraich is a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party and not the BJP, which is the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh. If Owaisi wants to defeat the BJP, shouldn’t he be logically targeting the BJP first? But Owaisi chose SP stronghold to launch his campaign because his primary objective is to woo the Muslim voters of the state who have for long backed Akhilesh Yadav’s party.Owaisi’s speech in Matera targeted BJP’s Yogi Adityanath government and Akhilesh Yadav in equal measure.”I am appealing to the people of Uttar Pradesh. Support AIMIM; we would rather die than trade away our honour and your affection,” Owaisi said at the rally.Questioning the development work carried out by elected representatives in the area, Owaisi said, “What have the Samajwadi Party leaders whom you voted for done for the development of the area? They did nothing.”Continuing with his attack on Samajwadi Party, he alleged that despite receiving votes from the public, local representatives had failed to ensure basic facilities and claimed that even a hospital had not been constructed in the area. Owaisi said the youth had become politically aware and urged people to support AIMIM.The second reason why the choice of Bahraich is a strategic decision is because it is a communally sensitive district and has a long-running political and historical contest over the legacy of Maharaja Suheldev and warrior-saint Syed Salar Masood Ghazi.During a recent visit to Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh minister Anil Rajbhar claimed that the dargah of Ghazi was originally a Surya Kund and said he would write to chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey.Anil Rajbhar also accused previous governments of glorifying “invaders” such as Ghazi while neglecting Maharaja Suheldev, who is celebrated among Rajbhars and several other OBC communities as the ruler who defeated Ghazi.Clearly, the issue has a great potential for polarisation and suits the hardline politics of Owaisi.Owaisi’s opposition outreach: A well crafted strategyNow, let’s come to the second part of Owaisi’s tried and tested strategy – a loud and open offer of alliance to the opposition parties.This now seems to have become a part of his election playbook. It is Owaisi’s way of countering the opposition parties who have over the years labelled AIMIM as the B-team of the BJP. The AIMIM outreach not just takes the sting out of the “B-team attack” but also puts the opposition in a Catch 22 situation. The AIMIM chief knows that there will be few takers in the opposition camp for his alliance offer.Why opposition parties spurn Owaisi’s offerSo, why do the opposition parties not accept Owaisi’s offer and ensure that non-BJP votes, especially of the Muslims does not split? Well, this is because the opposition parties know that Owaisi’s offer is like a double-edged sword.First, most of these opposition parties like the RJD in Bihar, Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh have banked heavily on the support of Muslims for their politics. If they accept AIMIM as an ally, they fear that Muslims will back Owaisi and gradually this will weaken their own minorities’ politics.Second, any opposition alliance with AIMIM will give the BJP a very strong weapon to engineer reverse polarisation. Since Owaisi is known for a very aggressive hardline brand of politics on issues concerning the minorities, the opposition will find it difficult to dissociate itself from the AIMIM. And this will give the BJP an opportunity to mobilise the Hindus against the opposition parties and eventually corner them.Clearly, that leaves the opposition parties in a Catch 22 situation. While any AIMIM alliance may help prevent division of minority votes, it may, at the same time, push the majority votes towards the BJP. Owaisi knows this predicament of the opposition parties and hence makes it a point to offer an alliance to them ahead of every election where his presence matters.And when the opposition parties reject his alliance, Owaisi leaves no stone unturned to put them on the mat by accusing them of using Muslims as a vote bank in elections but refusing to share power with them.What should worry the opposition parties, especially the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, is that Uttar Pradesh is unlike Maharashtra and Bihar. There is a fairly strong and independent pole of politics in the state in the form of BSP chief Mayawati. If she decides to align with Owaisi, their alliance could pose a formidable challenge to the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosPunjab CM Responds to Akal Takht Verdict, Denies Link to Viral VideoPriyank Kharge Asks RSS To Register, Reveal Finances And Tax Records In Letter To Mohan BhagwatDMK Editorial Questions Rahul Gandhi’s Politics Amid Growing Alliance Rift | WatchTMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Questioned by ED for Over 11 Hours in Recruitment Scam ProbeDhaka Protests After Senior Bangladesh Official Questioned For Hours In New DelhiUS-Iran War Reshapes India’s Trade Routes As Oman, Brazil And Singapore SurgeKudankulam Unit 5 Crosses Key Milestone, Nuclear Reactor Expected To Be Operational By End Of 2026Government Raises Export Duty On Diesel, Aviation Fuel As Middle East Tensions EscalatePM Modi Receives Grand Welcome In Slovakia As Historic Castle Glows In India’s ColoursTMC Alleges BJP Role After Egg Attack On Kunal Ghosh, Questions Police Response123PhotostoriesThat small lump in your neck could tell a bigger story: Understanding Thyroid nodules and cancer5 signs you’re guilt-tripping your child without even realizing it; how parents can correct itFrom wall art to centrepieces: 8 shell decor ideas for a coastal vibeNo, love isn’t enough: 5 non-negotiables for a lasting relationship, therapist revealsPM Narendra Modi welcomed with bread and Salt in Slovakia: 4 other food-related welcome traditions across the world“I started drinking from Class 9…”: Premanand Maharaj shares the ‘one thing’ parents can do to keep children away from bad habits10 most colourful snakes in the world and where to spot them in the wildPriyanka Chopra Jonas’ mother reveals the homemade hair mask recipe she credits for their “head full of hair”From wall art to centerpieces: 8 shell decor ideas for a coastal vibe10 Indian cities offering strong growth potential for NRI property buyers123Hot PicksMohammad MohebiForm 16Strait of HormuzGreen Card Newsilia TopuriaNEET UG RE ExamNoida airportStock Market LiveGold rate todayTop TrendingKerala HSCAP first allotment result 2026UPSC Result PDFTelegram banFIFA World Cup 2026FIFA World Cup StandingsNagpur RapeITR Form 16CBSE 10th Second Board Result 2026Iran FIFA World Cup CoachWWE Star Bayley ‘Huge plus for any team’: Sunil Gavaskar identifies India’s next X-factor | Cricket News Haryana Open School September-October 2026 exam registration begins on June 23; check fee details here Arbaaz Khan stunned as unidentified man breaches security and gets into his car, forcefully pulled out later in viral video 5 signs you’re guilt-tripping your child without even realizing it; how parents can correct it 2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class PHEV: Top five things to know 28,800 bath toys accidentally fell into the Pacific Ocean, and their journey revealed the secrets of ocean currents 6.3-magnitude earthquake strikes Qinghai province in Northwest China, aftershocks follow In 1916, German chemists accidentally invented synthetic detergent during World War I shortages Jun 16, 2026, 15:53 IST Andhra Pradesh revises Muharram school holiday schedule for 2026, schools to close on June 26 Saif Ali Khan gets candid about the fate of ‘Agent Vinod’: ‘It didn’t sustain because it probably wasn’t tightly made film’ 10 Indian cities offering strong growth potential for NRI property buyers Exercise Pitch Black 2026: India to participate in one of the largest aerial wargames in Australia France bets big on AI: Macron govt invests over $750 million to build chatbot for state services Cleared UPSC Prelims 2026? 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Video from the scene showed a crowd hurling eggs and chanting “chor, chor, chor” (thief, thief, thief) as Banerjee was being taken to a police vehicle.Police later brought the situation under control and safely escorted Banerjee to court.The TMC youth leader was arrested following a complaint lodged by BJP leader Ravi Keshari, who accused him of attacking BJP workers.This comes a day after senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh was targeted in a similar incident outside former chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence. Ghosh was speaking to reporters when a local youth allegedly hurled an egg at him. The accused, identified as Chandan, later defended his actions, claiming he was acting out of grievances against the Trinamool Congress.The latest incident comes amid continuing political turbulence within the TMC, which has been grappling with internal dissent, defections and resignations. On Sunday, rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar announced that 20 Lok Sabha MPs had merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and would support the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), marking one of the biggest challenges to the party’s unity in recent years.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDMK Editorial Questions Rahul Gandhi’s Politics Amid Growing Alliance Rift | WatchTMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Questioned by ED for Over 11 Hours in Recruitment Scam ProbeDhaka Protests After Senior Bangladesh Official Questioned For Hours In New DelhiUS-Iran War Reshapes India’s Trade Routes As Oman, Brazil And Singapore SurgeKudankulam Unit 5 Crosses Key Milestone, Nuclear Reactor Expected To Be Operational By End Of 2026Government Raises Export Duty On Diesel, Aviation Fuel As Middle East Tensions EscalatePM Modi Receives Grand Welcome In Slovakia As Historic Castle Glows In India’s ColoursTMC Alleges BJP Role After Egg Attack On Kunal Ghosh, Questions Police ResponseIndia, Slovakia Upgrade Relations To Comprehensive Partnership; Agree On Counterterror CooperationIndia Turns Up Heat At UN, Seeks Fast-Track Security Council Reforms123Photostories”Women are happier in their 40s and 50s after they stop doing this one thing”: Recent study reveals interesting dataSanchita Ugale’s suicide: AICWA urges Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene, demands thorough probeMotivational quote of the day by Walt Disney: “To be successful, you must be…”Japanese parents do this differently, and it may explain their children’s successInside Jemimah Rodrigues’ Vashi home: A look at the Indian women cricket star’s latest property purchase in Navi MumbaiNeymar and Bruna Biancardi expecting baby no. 3 together: Inside the football star’s growing family of five children with three womenThe one habit that separates high achievers from the rest, according to popular Indian founder Dr. A VelumaniFrom Lemon to Mango: 7 Fruit trees that grow well in containersInside India’s largest wooden palace: Why every traveller should visit this 400-year-old palace in South IndiaMarble vs solid wood dining table: 7 differences every homeowner should know123Hot PicksMohammad MohebiForm 16Strait of HormuzGreen Card Newsilia TopuriaNEET UG RE ExamNoida airportStock Market LiveGold rate todayTop TrendingKerala HSCAP first allotment result 2026UPSC Result PDFTelegram banFIFA World Cup 2026FIFA World Cup StandingsNagpur RapeITR Form 16CBSE 10th Second Board Result 2026Iran FIFA World Cup CoachWWE Star Bayley India vs Afghanistan 2nd ODI Live Streaming: When and where to watch, Lucknow weather forecast, pitch report and predicted XI NEET re-exam papers to be transported by Army helicopter from Madurai to Tirunelveli; how NTA enforces 7-layer security shield across exam system Is Alia Bhatt joining Prabhas in ‘Kalki 2898 AD 2’? 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