Owaisi's AIMIM crushed MVA's chances in six seats in Maharashtra; Here are the numbers

Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), which won just one of the 16 seats it contested in Maharashtra, significantly impacted the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) prospects in at least six assembly constituencies during the recent elections. The party fielded 12 Muslim and four Dalit candidates, contesting predominantly in areas with considerable minority voter bases.  

A Lone Victory Amid Strategic Impact  

Malegaon Central was the AIMIM's sole victory, with Mufti Mohammad Ismail securing the seat by a narrow margin of just 162 votes. The constituency, which has 78% Muslim voters, saw Ismail edge out Asif Shaikh Rasheed of the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra. The Samajwadi Party’s Shaan e Hind Nihal Ahmed trailed behind with 9,624 votes. The BJP did not field a candidate here.  

A Spoiler in Key Contests  

In Aurangabad Central, where Muslims make up over 38% of the electorate, AIMIM's Siddiqui Naseruddin Taquiuddin came second, garnering 77,340 votes. The seat was won by Shinde Sena's Pradeep Jaiswal with a margin of 8,119 votes. Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Balasaheb Thorat came third with 37,098 votes.  

Similarly, in Dhule City, which has a 22% Muslim voter base, AIMIM's Shah Farook Anwar came second with 70,788 votes. The BJP's Omprakash Agrawal secured a decisive win with a margin of 45,750 votes, while Uddhav Sena's Anil Gote was relegated to third place with 24,304 votes. The AIMIM siphoned off a large share of votes, potentially undermining the MVA's chances.  

In Solapur City Central, a constituency with nearly 25% Muslim voters, the AIMIM's Farooq Shabdi secured 61,428 votes, finishing second. BJP's Devendra Kothe won the seat by a comfortable margin of 48,850 votes. The Congress, once a major contender, was reduced to just 16,385 votes.  

Aurangabad East, with a Muslim electorate exceeding 37%, also saw the AIMIM emerge as a strong competitor. Its state president Imtiaz Jaleel bagged 91,113 votes but lost to BJP's Atul Save by a razor-thin margin of 2,161 votes. The Congress' Lahu Hanumantrao Shewale fared poorly, receiving only 12,568 votes.  

In Nanded South, where Muslims constitute over 23% of voters, AIMIM’s Syed Momin Syed Mukhtar garnered 15,396 votes, while Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi's Farooque Ahmed added 33,841 to the split in opposition votes. The seat was won by Anand Tidke of Shinde Sena, who defeated the Congress's Mohanrao Hambarde by a narrow margin of 2,132 votes.  

Marginal Impacts Elsewhere  

In Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra unit chief Abu Azmi retained the seat with a margin of 12,753 votes. However, AIMIM candidate Ateeque Ahmad Khan took 42,027 votes, significantly reducing Azmi's victory margin.  

In Karanja, with close to 21% Muslim voters, AIMIM's Mohammad Yusuf Mohammad Shafi Punjani secured 31,042 votes, finishing third. The BJP's Sai Prakash Dahake defeated NCP (Sharad Pawar) candidate Patni Gyayak Rajendra by 35,073 votes.  

The ruling Mahayuti swept the assembly polls in Maharashtra, with BJP bagging the highest 132 seats while Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena got 57 and Ajit Pawar's NCP 41. From the MVA, Congress could win just 16, Shiv Sena (UBT) 20, and NCP (SP) of Sharad Pawar managed to win 10 seats. Only two independents emerged victorious.