Araria (Bihar) [India], November 8 : The Jokihat Assembly seat in Bihar's Araria district is gearing up for the second phase of the state Assembly elections, set to take place on November 11.
The main contest in the Jokihat is between Shahnawaz Alam, contesting from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and Mohammad Murshid Alam, representing the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Sarfaraz Alam is in the fray from the Jan Suraaj Party, Manzar Alam is contesting on a Janata Dal (United) ticket, and Rozi Bano is representing the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Formed in 1967, the Jokihat Assembly constituency has gone through 16 elections so far, including two bypolls in 1996 and 2008.
Notably, the seat has always elected Muslim representatives, mirroring its voter profile, with Muslims making up nearly 65.7 per cent of the electorate.
The political landscape of Jokihat has long been defined by the dominance of veteran leader Mohammad Taslimuddin and his family, who have influenced the constituency's electoral direction for decades.
Taslimuddin began his political career with a win in the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1969 as a candidate of the Congress party.
He later entered the Lok Sabha as a Janata Dal candidate from Purnea in 1989 and was re-elected in 1996, 1998, 2004, and 2014, though he lost the 1991 election from Kishanganj.
In 1995, he won the Jokihaat Assembly seat as a Samajwadi Party candidate and returned to the Lok Sabha in 1996 from Kishanganj on a Janata Dal ticket.
Taslimuddin also served as Union Minister of State for Home Affairs in 1996 under the HD Deve Gowda government. Despite his stronghold in the Araria region, he faced a setback after losing the 2009 Lok Sabha election from Araria.
He later joined the JD(U) in 2010 but returned to the RJD a year later and successfully contested the 2014 elections.
Taslimuddin passed away on September 17, 2017, at the age of 74 after receiving treatment for respiratory issues in Chennai.
Mohammed Taslimuddin was a prominent RJD leader and an influential politician from Bihar's Seemanchal region. He was known as the "Seemanchal Gandhi" and had a strong hold on the region, comprising Araria, Purnia, Kishanganj, and Katihar districts.
Taslimuddin's association with RJD was long-standing, and he played a crucial role in strengthening the party in Seemanchal. He was elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly seven times and the Lok Sabha five times, representing various constituencies, including Araria, Kishanganj, and Purnia.
His legacy continues to shape Seemanchal's politics, with his sons, Sarfaraz Alam and Shahnawaz Alam, actively involved in the region's politics. Sarfaraz, the elder son, is a former MP and MLA, while Shahnawaz is the current MLA from Jokihat and a minister in the Bihar government.
The Seemanchal region is significant in Bihar politics, with a substantial Muslim population. Taslimuddin's influence and the current dynamics between his sons and other parties, including AIMIM, are key factors in the region's electoral landscape.
His son Sarfaraz Alam emerged as his political successor, winning the 1996 by-election on a Janata Dal ticket and repeating his success in 2000 as an RJD candidate.
Although he lost the 2005 election, Sarfaraz made a comeback with JD(U) victories in 2010 and 2015. However, following his suspension from JD(U), he returned to the RJD fold.
The 2020 Assembly elections marked a turning point for Jokihat. Contesting on the RJD ticket, Sarfaraz was defeated by his younger brother, Shahnawaz Alam, who then represented AIMIM. Shahnawaz won by a margin of 7,383 votes before later joining the RJD.
Over the years, the constituency has seen diverse political representation.
JD(U) has claimed the seat four times; Congress, Janata Party, RJD, and Independent candidates have each won twice; while the Praja Socialist Party, Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, and AIMIM have secured it once apiece.
During the 2020 polls, Jokihat had 2,93,347 registered voters, including 1,92,728 Muslims (65.70 per cent) and 22,001 Scheduled Caste voters (7.5 per cent).
The BJP, which has yet to secure a win in Jokihat, continues to field Hindu candidates in hopes of benefiting from divisions among Muslim voters, a strategy that has repeatedly fallen short.