Ajmal lets cat out of bag

Grand understanding! Gogoi calls AIUDF chief 'liar'

OUR BUREAU

GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI, Feb 23: Amidst reports that the ruling Congress party and the AIUDF have entered into a secret understanding ahead of the Assembly election, AIUDF president Badaruddin Ajmal on Monday lifted the veil of secrecy as he openly extended support to the Congress in 66 assembly seats, mostly in Upper Assam.

Addressing a public rally at Chenga in Barpeta district, Ajmal said that in order to defeat the BJP, he will appeal to all minority voters to vote for the Congress in seats with no AIUDF candidates. The AIUDF will contest in 60 assembly seats.

“We are contesting in 60 assembly seats. For the remaining 66 seats, we will appeal to all the minority voters to vote for the Congress in order to defeat the BJP,” Ajmal said.

It may be mentioned that in the Upper Assam region, though minority voters are not a deciding factor in the elections, they play a major role with a huge vote share that goes from 5,000 to 45,000 in some constituencies.

Ajmal’s open support to the Congress has now brought the equation of ‘grand understanding’ by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi into clearer focus. However, the APCC has frequently alleged that it is the BJP which has a secret understanding with the AIUDF.

Ajmal, in a statement said that if the Congress projects Abdul Muhib Mazumdar, a Congress legislator to the Rajya Sabha in the upcoming election to the Upper House which is likely to take place in April, the AIUDF is ready to support the Congress.

Meanwhile, after winning the confidence of the AIUDF, the Congress is now desperately trying to ensure that the AGP doesn’t enter into an alliance with the BJP. The anti-Congress voters of the State and the regiol camps too have their eyes fixed on the AGP and the BJP. They believe that if the AGP and the BJP fight the election separately, the benefactor will be the Congress.

On the other hand, contrary to Ajmal’s support to the Congress, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday accused Ajmal to be a liar, saying that he is being instigated by Himanta Biswa Sarma to spread cards ahead of the assembly election to malign the image of the Congress. Gogoi was talking to the media in New Delhi.

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