Mumbai, Sep 14 (Mumbai Mirror): The Shiv Sena said on Sunday that it would contest the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, but not as a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alli ance (NDA).

The announcement came a day after the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Assaduddin Owaisi, said it would enter the fray.

Political observers say the Sena wants to embarrass the BJP by fielding candidates in Bihar and also gain mileage out of a potential clash with AIMIM, which has been winning supporters in some constituencies of Mumbai. The clash between the Sena and AIMIM in the recent Bandra bypoll polarised voters, which eventually benefited Uddhav Thackeray's party that retained the seat.

Owaisi said on Saturday that his party would field candidates only in Bihar's Seemanchal region, which comprises Araria, Purnea, Kishanganj and Katihar districts.

Rajya Sabha MP and Sena leader Anil Desai, who will visit Bihar on September 19, said that the party had not finalised the number of seats it would contest. "After the visit, I will brief Uddhav Thackeray about the political situation. He will take the call [on the number of seats]," Desai said. Another Sena leader, who didn't want to be named, said that though the party had decided to enter the fray again, the Thackerays were unlikely to campaign in Bihar. "We will try to fight as many seats as we can. We are going alone," said Rajya Sabha MP and Sena leader Sanjay Raut.

He added that the Sena had also contested the Maharashtra assembly elections alone."You may remember that the BJP broke the alliance [before the elections]," he said.

But he insisted that the Sena was not looking for a clash with the BJP. "We want to promote Hindutva in the Hindi belt. Good governance and development are other factors," he said.

Some Bihar leaders expressed surprise at the Sena's attempt to develop a voter base in the state after targeting Bihar migrants in Mumbai.

"Bihariyon ko bola, `kootenge, lootenge aur bhageyenge'. Ab dekhiye kaise Bihar prem umad raha hain," (They told migrants from Bihar that we will beat you, loot you and then drive you out. Now they have found love for Bihar)," said RJD MP Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav.

JD(U) general secretary KC Tyagi said the Sena was unlikely to make any impact in the Bihar elections. "It's amusing to see BJP's coalition partner standing against it in the state," he said.

But Raut said that the Sena never ran a campaign against people from Bihar. "We never targeted Bihar-origin persons. Our campaign was for Marathi manoos alone," he said.

No first timer in Bihar

Last year, Sena had fielded candidates in 25 Bi har constituencies. A Sena leader, who didn't want to be named, said that though the party had decided to enter the fray again, the Thacke rays were unlikely to campaign in Bihar. "We will try to fight as many seats as we can. We are go ing alone," said Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.