Congress-AIUDF alliance "harmful" for Assam: Minister Pijush Hazarika

Guwahati: Amid whispers of a grand alliance between the Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Assam's minister of state for health and family welfare Pijush Hazarika forewarned that if these parties assume control in Dispur, it could spell doom for the denizens of the state.

Addressing the press here today, Pijush Hazarika opined that the proposed 'grand alliance' shall not favor the rights of the indigenous people of the state.

"I don't know whether the alliance will cause harm to the Congress or not, but I am sure if the Congress forms government, under the remote control of Badruddin Ajmal, it will never seek to benefit the people of the state", Hazarika said, weighing in on the much-discussed alliance.

The Assam minister also assured that he would continue to work towards the upliftment of the people of Assam.

Hazarika in today's briefing also took potshots at the 3-time former Chief Minister of the state, Tarun Gogoi, for his growing camaraderie with the perfume baron.

"Once Gogoi said—Who is Badruddin Ajmal? But now Ajmal is everything for him", Hazarika said, recalling the veteran Congressman's famous one-liner.

Hazarika's comments have been made amid immense speculation over the Congress extending a hand of friendship to the AIUDF ahead of the crucial polls to be held next year.

Veteran Congress leaders like Gogoi have over the years said that the AIUDF was a "communal" party and a "B team of the BJP", fielding candidates to eat away the Congress vote.

However, the massive statewide protests against the BJP's bringing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act seem to have brought the two rivals together as they see the contentious Act as a "key" issue that could turn the tide in the opposition parties' favour.

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