Congress ties up with AIUDF for Assam polls

GUWAHATI: Putting an end to speculation, the Congress on Tuesday announced the formation of a pre-poll alliance with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) for the upcoming Assam assembly elections due in April-may. The tenure of the present 126-member House expires on May 31.

The newly-formed Anchalik Gana Morcha of Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan and three Left parties – CPI, CPI-M and CPI-ML – will also be part of this alliance.

“I am thankful to all the parties who came together to save the culture and identity of Assam from the divisive politics of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Our alliance is confident of a win in the assembly polls,” said Jitendra Singh, Congress in-charge for Assam.

The BJP, however, remained confident of returning to power in the state. Party spokesperson Roopam Goswami said: “The three Cs – Congress, communists and communal (AIUDF) – is an unholy alliance. The Congress and AIUDF had secret understandings in previous polls and voters in Assam had rejected them. This time too, with them having an official alliance, voters will repose faith in us.”