AAP says Congress no alternative to BJP in Assam

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Assam on Sunday said the Congress cannot be an alternative to the BJP in the Northeastern state as it was rejected by the people for "misgovernance and corruption". Distancing itself from the Congress in the state, the AAP said it cannot share any platform with such a party.

"The Congress cannot be an alternative to the BJP in Assam. The people of the state have rejected Congress due to its misgovernance and corruption," AAP media coordinator Jayanta Kumar Kalita said after a meeting of the party's state executive.

He alleged that both Congress and BJP were responsible for the lack of development of the state.


The AAP and the Congress in Assam along with 10 other "like-minded" parties have come together on various issues in the recent past, including opposing the draft delimitation proposal.

Kalita claimed the draft proposal is an attempt to secure the political future of those close to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, irrespective of their party affiliation.

It will also help the BJP's "secret friend" AIUDF, he claimed.

"The executive has decided to submit a memorandum against the draft proposal to the Election Commission," he added.

The meeting also took stock of organisational matters, especially preparations for panchayat polls and Lok Sabha elections, Kalita said.

He said the party will reach out to the people through the 'Setubandhan' programme to understand their aspirations and identify prospective candidates for the elections.

A 16-member committee was formed by the party to oversee the preparations for the Lok Sabha polls.