Nitish Kumar invites AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal for swearing-in; may seek support for Assam polls

NEW DELHI: After the Grand Alliance’s Bihar victory, chief minister Nitish Kumar has started lending the backing of the Janata Dal (United) to Congress’ efforts to prop up another larger anti-BJP alliance in the Assam assembly polls by roping in All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) leader Badruddin Ajmal. Kumar personally telephoned Ajmal to invite him to attend Friday’s swearing-in-ceremony in Patna, after which he is expected to broach the Assam alliance issue with him, JD(U) sources said.

This even as some colleagues of agitating Patidar leader Hardik Patel extended invitation to Kumar to attend a function in Gujarat on Sardar Patel’s death anniversary on December 15. Though no final decision has been taken yet, JD(U) sources said, “Patidars’ invitations is under Kumar’s consideration as he feels after Bihar, Gujarat, along with Assam, could be next major states for an anti-BJP political churning.” Incidentally, Kumar shares a caste affiliation with Patidars.

While Kumar has been sending his party colleagues to invite many Opposition leaders and NDA for the Patna function, he has made it a point to personally call up Ajmal even though the latter is a relatively smaller player. When contacted by ET for confirmation, JD (U) general secretary KC Tyagi said, “Yes, Nitishji has personally telephoned Badruddin Ajmalji and invited him to attend the oath-taking function and Ajmalji has accepted it.

Nitishji, certainly, also feels JD(U) should contribute in building a larger anti-BJP front in Assam. An alliance of like-minded parties such as Congress, AIUDF, JD(U), etc. could be effective in repulsing the BJP challenge in Assam.”

The JD(U) feels even if it is not a major political force in Assam, it could play a buffer between Congress and AIUDF in Assam similar to the role Congress played between RJD and JD(U) in Bihar, by tapping its reachcontacts among the significant Bihari migrant population in the state. Kumar used to reach out this segment of population whenever they were affected by the Bodo violence in the past.

Assam CM Tarun Gogoi too will be in Patna as part of the Congress representatives led by Rahul Gandhi attending the swearing-in function. The AIUDF, is an ex-ally of Congress in Assam and is currently the main Opposition after it fought separately the last elections following a Gogoi-Ajmal fallout.