Two days after the Rajya Sabha polls in Assam by which the BJP-led NDA coalition gained each the seats, amidst amidst of Opposition cross-voting, a disagreement erupted between the Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).
The NDA had the numbers for profitable just one seat. The undeniable fact that it gained a second one Thursday was a sign that a minimum of seven Opposition MLAs broke ranks to vote for the BJP and its alliance associate, United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).
While one MLA (South Karimganj legislator Siddique Ahmed) wrote “one” as an alternative of the prescribed “1”, resulting in the cancellation of his vote, the id of the opposite six turncoats remains to be not clear, resulting in mudslinging between the Congress and AIUDF .
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The newest dust-up is a continuation of the on-again, off-again relationship between the Congress and Badruddin Ajmal’s AIUDF. Since 2020, they’ve been attempting to patch up an alliance to aust the omnipotent BJP from Assam. However, the connection has been rocky. They tied up for the 2021 Assembly elections; however cut up two months after the outcomes returning the BJP to energy. Now, they introduced a joint candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls, however are bickering once more having tasted defeat.
Friday morning started with Congress spokesperson Manjit Mahanta alleging that 5 legislators of the AIUDF had “entered” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s residence at 6 am, insinuating that that they had voted for the NDA.
In response, the AIUDF moved a breach of privilege movement towards the Congress within the Assembly, saying they have been “insulted” by the allegation. “All our 15 legislators voted for the united Opposition candidate, Ripun Bora. There are inner variations throughout the Assam Congress, and it’s a part of them who voted for the BJP,” alleged AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam.
Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia countered that Congress legislators “believed in our own party”. “Apart from the one whose vote was rejected, rest were loyal,” mentioned Saikia, insisting that it was the AIUDF which had betrayed them.
Flailing to remain related within the face of the BJP’s may, the Congress may even see an choice within the AIUDF, however the two are hardly pure allies. The AIUDF has a big help base amongst Bengali-origin Muslims of Assam, and is fashionable in decrease Assam and Barak Valley, rising on the expense of the Congress. However, as Akhil Ranjan Dutta, who heads the Political Science Department at Gauhati University, factors out, tying up with the AIUDF comes at the price of alienating the voters of Upper Assam. Upper Assam, which lies on the coronary heart of the state’s ethnic sub-nationalism, is represented by the “indigenous” Assamese and caste-Hindu vote
“Smaller regional parties like the Asom Jatiya Parishad and Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal, which the Congress has been trying to ally with, are also anti-AIUDF,” provides Dutta.
Many within the Congress too have been against an alliance with the AIUDF on the identical grounds. Says a senior Congress chief: “Some consider that if we align with the AIUDF, we are going to get the numbers, particularly within the Lok Sabha elections… Time and once more, we make the error of allying with them. But in actuality, many people by no means wished this alliance, however we’re a minority throughout the occasion.”
Following the Rajya Sabha ballot embarrassment, many within the Congress have accused the AIUDF of lack of ideological conviction. “They are a party of businessmen and guided by business interests,” says a senior Congress chief.
The cracks between the Congress and AIUDF on the grassroots had been evident even throughout the Assembly elections. “When I went to campaign in the Hindu-dominated areas, I felt resentment,” says a Congress chief from Upper Assam, additionally requesting anonymity. “Many said voting for me was as good as voting for Ajmal.”
The AIUDF’s Islam calls the Congress’s habits forward of the Rajya Sabha elections (it had publicly accused the AIUDF of “selling” its MLAs to the BJP) as inexplicable. He attributes it to inner variations throughout the occasion over the candidature of Ripun Bora, the previous Assam Congress chief who was their joint candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat.
“They tried to kill two birds with one stone,” says Islam. “One, defeat Ripun Bora, and two, malign the image of the AIUDF by portraying it as a communal party hands in glove with the BJP.”
Regardless of what actually transpired, some consider the AIUDF’s picture has certainly taken a beating within the wake of the polls, with the notion gaining floor that the BJP gained with the assistance of the AIUDF.
But others say the episode solely displays the hegemony of the BJP within the state. “The CM has made it amply clear that MLAs can only get work done in their constituencies if they have links with the ruling party,” says Dutta, including it was hardly stunning then that some have been “ready to compromise”.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
