evidence: AIMIM looks certain to contest in 20-25 seats in Bengal, as it did in Bihar, and could alter results in a few of them. But it is yet to find its own ‘Akhtarul Iman’ for Bengal [...] AIMIM will get some votes in the urban areas. It should be remembered that MIM is an Urban party. The party will also get some support in Malda, districts with a sizeable Surjapuri community, the same community that forms the bulwark of Owaisi’s support base in neighboring Seemanchal of Bihar. The districts where it could do some tangible damage are Uttar Dinajpur & Murshidabad. [...] Response of secular parties to AIMIM’s performance in Bihar could have been more nuanced, more mature and more backed by data. Calling out AIMIM for contesting in Bihar was immature and undemocratic. Blaming Muslims for voting for AIMIM and not MGB was bad politics. Pinning all the blame on Owaisi for their less than overwhelming performance was naïve.