Guwahati: All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) senior spokesperson Aminul Islam has confirmed to News18 that his party and Congress will not have an alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Though, he adds that that efforts are still on to forge a common platform against BJP and Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).
“We have selected Dhubri, Barpeta, Mangaldoi, Kaliabor, Nagaon, Silchar and Karimganj Lok Sabha seats for contest. We will however, try to form a common political platform against BJP and CAB, though we will fight in these 7 seats,” Islam said.
The party has not yet announced its candidates but Islam is expected to contest from Kaliabor, a Congress bastion.
According to sources, AIUDF plans to give a tough fight to former state chief minister Tarun Gogoi’s son Gaurav Gogoi in Kaliabor seat. The seat is presently held by junior Gogoi. Kaliabor has been a Gogoi stronghold as it has been represented by Tarun Gogoi, his brother, Deep Gogoi, and Gaurav Gogoi.
With 31% minority voters in Kaliabor, AIUDF expects a good outcome from here.
In political circles, AIUDF’s move can be seen as a pressure tactic on the Congress. Perhaps, a bargaining strategy too.
AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal earlier expressed his discontentment against a few Assam leaders obstructing his desperate attempt for alliance. The AIUDF had emerged as the principal opposition party in Assam after it won 18 Muslim-dominated seats out of 126 in 2011 assembly seats. But its seat tally reduced to 13 in the last state polls.
Despite being a constituent of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance at the national level, the AIUDF was not part of the previous Tarun Gogoi-led government in the state.
Earlier, Tarun Gogoi had slammed Ajmal and refused to accept the AIUDF leader’s importance in state politics.
Notwithstanding Gogoi’s reservation on tying up with AIUDF, Ajmal engaged with Congress’ top leadership in Delhi and met senior leaders like Ahmed Patel but the talks turned out to be futile and as a result, AIUDF has decided to contest from seven seats.
AIUDF president Badaruddin Ajmal will fight from Dhubri but his brother Sirajuddin won’t contest elections for personal reasons.
As per reports, Champak Kalita or Aditya Langthasa will contest from Nagaon.
Haji Rafikul Islam is likely to contest from Barpeta. In Karimganj, instead of sitting MP Radhesyam Biswas, Rajesh Malla or Gautam Das may contest and from Silchar, Congress MP Sushmita Dev is likely to face Baharul Islam.
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