GUWAHATI: The Indian National Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in Assam finally shared the same platform to campaign for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls. This is a straight indicator of the alliance taking shape after party president Rahul Gandhi’s recent online meeting with the Assam Congress.
Speaking at the meeting in BTAD, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal said that it is for the first time in the history of Assam, the Congress and AIUDF are sharing an election stage. “We are starting our Mahagatbandhan with the Congress from BTAD. This is now a success and you can now write about it. We will work together and will forget our misunderstanding from the past. We have come together at the same stage in front of you and will resolve all your issues that BPF and BJP won’t be able to fulfill. The Congress-AIUDF Mahagatbandhan will do all the unfinished work,” said Badruddin Ajmal.
Congress was represented by APCC president Ripun Bora, former minister Rockybul Hussain, Aminul Islam along with AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal in an election campaign meeting at 35 Mudoibari seat in BTC.
Though the alliance with the AIUDF is resisted by a number of Congress leaders from the minority community it seems the top leaders have been asked by the AICC to toe the line.
According to sources in Congress, with this alliance the Congress might get some electoral gains in minority areas but will lose the trust of those traditional voters who see the AIUDF as a communal party. Though both the parties are contesting together in BTC with an understanding the alliance will majorly come into play during the Assam Assembly election in April-May 2021.
The BTC has 40 constituencies that will go for polls on 7 and 10 December. The counting of the votes will take place on 12 December and the council formation is on 15 December.
