Congress & AIUDF likely to join hands to challenge BJP's might in Assam

Congress has moved one step closer to cementing its ties with one-time political rivals, the Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF
File image: Tarun Gogoi (Congress) and Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF)

File image: Tarun Gogoi (Congress) and Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF)

Guwahati: The Assam Congress Unit has moved one step closer to cementing its ties with one-time political rivals, the Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).

After a party meet held on Tuesday, party leaders Tarun Gogoi and Ripun Bora asserted that they are keen to forge alliances with all the anti-BJP elements in the state, including the AIUDF. Thus, in all likelihood, Congress and AIUDF are likely to join hands to take on the BJP in the state.

The ruling coalition comprising the BJP (60), AGP (14) and BPF (12) have a total of 87 seats in the Assam Assembly. The opposition parties -- the Congress (23) and AIUDF (14) -- have a total of 37 seats.

Former Assam Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Tarun Gogoi has said the Congress party wishes to bring together all the parties in the state which will attempt to dislodge the BJP from the power corridors of Dispur.

"Not only AIUDF, but we also want an alliance with other opposition parties of Assam. We have opened our doors for all parties who are opposed to the BJP," Gogoi said yesterday, adding that if the Congress-led alliance is to win the election, a Congress candidate shall be the Chief Minister of the state.

The veteran Congress leader also went on to claim that various classes of people that include farmers, artists, weavers, youths, small traders are all unhappy with the BJP and its policies.

"People are losing jobs, many have lost their livelihood, the economic condition is deteriorating fast and development is down. They have failed to implement their promises," Gogoi further claimed, hoping that these factors will swing the elections in the favour of the Congress-led alliance.

Exuding confidence of defeating the BJP in most of the seats, Gogoi said that none of the parties can hope of achieving an absolute majority.

Tarun Gogoi expressed confidence that the Congress will get the majority in the next assembly election in Assam.

Meanwhile, the Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF, which won 13 seats in the last Assembly election, has also hinted at a possible alliance with the Congress.

At the same time, Aminul Islam, the AIUDF General Secretary, said discussions with the Grand Old Party party are on. Islam said that the AIUDF has appealed all like-minded political parties who oppose the BJP to come forward for a joint alliance.

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