Assam Congress announces grand alliance with 5 parties to oust BJP

GUWAHATI: The opposition Congress in Assam on Tuesday formally announced a grand alliance with five parties, including the Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) “without any pre-conditions”, to oust the ruling BJP from power in the state in the coming assembly polls.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora told reporters that following discussions with various parties, it has been decided that Congress, with a “common goal”, will join hands with AIUDF, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) and Ajit Kumar Bhuyan’s Anchalik Gana Morcha.“Our doors are open for all anti-BJP parties and we invite the like-minded regional parties to join hands with us against our fight to remove the ruling BJP from power,” Bora, a Rajya Sabha MP, said at a press meet here in the presence of a central party leaders and representatives of the alliance partners..
Bora added that Congress has “taken the lead to oust all communal forces in the best interest of the nation.”
Bora made the announcement in the presence of a high-level Congress team led by Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and comprising AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik and Bihar Congress MLA Shakeel Ahmed who are currently in the state.
Congress state in-charge and AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh, who was also present, appealed to other like-minded regional parties to join forces with their alliance. “Congress party welcomes all the parties who have come together to save Assam’s identity and culture without any condition but with one goal to defeat BJP’s ‘divide and rule’ politics. All parties are united for the sake of the people of Assam to fight against BJP. The people of Assam want this as BJP has put up Assam for sale,” added Singh.
Singh also appealed to other like-minded regional parties to join forces with their alliance if they “really want to defeat BJP and to bring development to the state”. “We, six parties, appeal to other parties that if you want to save Assam and if you want to help the youth of Assam realize their dreams and aspirations, we should come together and fight the elections,” Singh said.
He added that the party manifesto will be made in accordance with all the allied parties and also with due respect to the citizens of Assam.
Rajya Sabha member Ajit Kumar Bhuyan said, “This isa a historic alliance. Noted intellectuals like Hiren Gohain and a host of political analysts have suggested that multi-cornered contests would help BJP to retain power. And since the common goal of all of us is to emancipate Assam from the clutches of a party that has been irreparably detrimental to the Assamese society, we decided to go ahead with the allaince.” The grand alliance is likely to announce a common minimum programme.
AIUDF general secretary and spokesperson Aminul Islam, said, “After a long wait, six parties have come together and we welcome this initiative.This is an effort to defeat the communal forces and maintain harmony among all sections of people in the state.”
In the 2016 assembly polls, the BJP-led alliance won 86 seats while Congress bagged 26. AIUDF had won 13 seats. Together, Congress and AIUDF had a vote share of 44%, which is 3% more than BJP, an AIUDF leader said.
A “tacit” understanding between the two parties to stop BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls had seen Congress win three seats, all of which had significant Muslim votes and where AIUDF did not field candidates. AIUDF and Congress insiders feel a tactical understanding can help both parties in a tight contest with BJP.
Congress, which had ruled for three terms since 2001, had won 26 out of the 126 legislative assembly seats in 2016. But now, there are 20 members as former CM Tarun Gogoi and former speaker Pranab Kumar Gogoi have died and two others — Ajanta Neog and Rajdeep Goala — resigned from the party to join BJP. The seat held by Congress MLA Abdul Khaleque fell vacant after became a Lok Sabha MP and Baithalangsu MLA Mansing Rongpi quit the party to join BJP. In the by-election to both these seats, Congress lost.