Ahead of Assembly polls in Assam, Congress and Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) have joined hands to offer an alternative to the ruling BJP in the state. Congress and the AIUDF, along with four other political parties, declared the formation of a 'Grand Alliance' on Tuesday last. Well, the Congress might be feeling this will help the party combat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but the political observers feel it is a big mistake being made by the party.
Many within the Congress, in many constituencies of Assam, have been unhappy with the state unit’s push for an alliance with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). After the alliance, some Congress legislators are irked with their own state and national leadership.
A Congress leader from Barak Valley talking to G Plus under condition of anonymity said, “This move will further help the BJP as none of the Hindu Congress loyal voters will vote for the party anymore. With this grand alliance the Congress will be perceived as a Muslim-biased party because AIUDF woos Muslim voters only.” He further said that because of such reasons many influential Congress leaders have joined the BJP recently.
In a major setback to the Opposition Congress ahead of the assembly polls, former minister in the erstwhile Tarun Gogoi-led government in Assam and four-time MLA from Golaghat, Ajanta Neog, formally joined the ruling BJP in December last. Lakhipur MLA Rajdeep Goala, who was earlier with the Congress, along with a former Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) MLA, Banendra Mushahary also joined the BJP.
The AIUDF is perceived as a party that bats for Bengali-speaking Muslim migrants. Congress leaders are wary of “sending the wrong signal” to voters belonging to the indigenous communities who feel that an alliance with AIUDF could be counter-productive and help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to retain power.
Moreover, after the demise of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, there are now many lobbies in the Congress if sources are to be believed. Even during the announcement of the grand alliance between Congress, AIUDF and four other parties [CPI, CPI (M), CPI (ML) and Anchalik Gana Morcha], the question on who would be the chief ministerial face of the alliance was snubbed by Congress leaders. This has further created a chaotic alliance as till now no one knows which party in the alliance will win the maximum seats. If AIUDF wins the maximum seats and the alliance is in the majority then AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal might be the chief ministerial face. This calculation is not going well with the indigenous voters loyal to the Congress and might this hamper the Congress party in the elections.
