2021 is not 1985

The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) have finally declared that they will go ahead with the formation of a new regional political party. On Friday, leaders of the two organizations also announced that its advisory panel was already on the job to draw the future roadmap of the proposed political party. The advisory panel on Friday stated that the fundamental principle of the new political party would be the historic Assam Accord and the report of the Clause 6 committee on safeguarding land, political, social and cultural rights of the indigenous people of Assam. It has in the meantime also tried to give an idea of what the mantra of the new political party will be, it being "Assam first, always and ever." But, while the Constitution of India guarantees citizens the right to form associations and political parties, what probably needs to be analysed is whether Assam really needs another regional party, and if at all formed, can it really address the burning issues and actually take Assam's issues in the right perspective to New Delhi. First and foremost, it is certainly not the primary duty, responsibility or mandate of a student body like AASU to form a new political party every time some of its leaders feel that the existing political parties have failed to address the burning problems of Assam. Secondly, it is important to examine whether is it really feasible to form a new party just six months ahead of an election, find out a solid set of winnable candidates (which did not happen despite a strong wave in favour of the Asom Gana Parishad way back in 1985, and the party could not even reach the half-way mark on its own). Thirdly, it is important for the people of Assam to know whether there was a series of serious brain-storming sessions as part of the process of examining the feasibility of a new regional party. Fourthly, the people of the state must know whether the advisory panel has come up with the basic doctrine and principle of the proposed regional party. Fifthly, the proposed political party will require a lot of funds to fight three big cash-rich parties – BJP, Congress and AIUDF. And, then, the biggest issue is that the ground realities, especially Assam's demographic situation and equations have greatly – and dangerously – changed since the formation of AGP in 1985. Finally, it is also important to examine whether AASU's sanctity, apolitical character, image and acceptability will be affected by the formation of a new political party.