Congress, AIUDF pre-poll alliance likely in Assam

They appeal to ‘like-minded’ parties to take on the BJP jointly

The Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), led by perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal, have indicated they may form an alliance ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections in Assam.

The two parties have also appealed to other “like-minded” entities to take on the BJP together.

Core committee meet

Former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora had after the party’s core committee meeting on Tuesday said a pre-poll alliance with “anti-BJP parties including the AIUDF” was on the cards.

The Congress is also not averse to having the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), one of the BJP’s two regional partners in alliance government, back on board. The BPF had ruled Assam with the Congress before switching over to the BJP but there have been fissures in its ties with the latter of late.

‘Doors open’

“We have opened our doors for all the parties, including the AIUDF, who are opposed to the BJP,” Mr. Bora said, adding that the Congress would lead the proposed alliance.

Mr. Ajmal did not rule out the possibility of any such alliance but said it would have to be based on the principles of democracy where each constituent would have an equal say.

AIUDF general secretary Aminul Islam said there have been discussions with the Congress for a possible pre-poll alliance. “We appeal to all other like-minded parties to come forward against the BJP,” he said on Wednesday.

The Congress has 23 MLAs in the 126-member Assembly while the AIUDF has 14. The BJP leads the table with 60 legislators in the ruling alliance followed by the Asom Gana Parishad with 14 and BPF with 12.