This election is fight between BJP versus congress and AIUDF: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that in this election there will be a fight between BJP and Congress -All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) coalition adding that AIUDF President and Lok Sabha MP, Badaruddin Ajmal will always remain a factor.

Sarma while talking to media persons said, “In the polls there will be a fight between the BJP and Congress-AIUDF. The regional parties have not been able to reach out to the people like they should have.”


All Assam Students Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) have formed a new regional party Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) which will make its electoral debut in alliance with peasant leader Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal party and the Autonomous State Demand Committee from Karbi Anglong.

The minister said, “Ajmal is always a factor given the area Assam is. He is a threat to the culture and civilisation. His people illegally grabbed the land in Batadrava, wanted to set up Miya school and promote Miya poetry in Assam.”

Batadrava Than is the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardev (the 15th century saint-reformer of Assam). BJP led government claims freeing the encroached land as one of its major achievements.

Sarma said, “Ajmal is a threat to our race. In the first phase of polling where areas of Upper Assam and Northern Assam will go to polls on March 27, congress led alliance will hardly win any seat.”

Congress had won six seats in Upper Assam in 2016. Sarma said, “We will even get the seats won by the congress last time.”

AIUDF has a substantial following among Bengali speaking Miya Muslims. Muslims comprise 34% of the 3.12 crore population of Assam, of which 4% are indigenous Assamese Muslims and the remaining mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims. Muslim votes are a determining factor in at least 30-35 assembly seats.

BJP denied tickets to two party old timers – Silchar MLA Dilip Paul and Hojai MLA Siladitya Dev.

Dev has alleged that old BJP people are side-lined, Sarma said, “In Assam most BJP supporters, leaders more or less are new BJP if one may call that way. Ever since Prime minister Narendra Modi won the polls, new people have started to join the party, there is no denying it. Even from the speaker of the assembly, to the Chief minister or myself, we are all new BJP. when people don't get a ticket they are upset, that they raised issues we could have inquired.”