Assam polls: Congress announces grand alliance with five parties

By Express News Service
GUWAHATI: Ending months of speculations, the Congress on Tuesday said it would forge an electoral alliance with minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), three Left parties and regional Anchalik Gana Morcha.“We have reached the decision after a lot of deliberations with the five parties. We have come together to oust the BJP from power,” state Congress chief Ripun Bora told journalists.The announcement was made in the presence of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, AICC leader Mukul Wasnik, AICC Assam in-charge, Jitendra Singh and leaders of the five parties.The three Left parties are CPI, CPI (M) and CPI (ML). The Congress appealed to newly-floated regional parties Asom Jatiya Parishad, floated by two students’ bodies; and Raijor Dal, formed by 70 organisations; to join the grand alliance. Both were formed last year against the backdrop of Citizenship (Amendment) Act.Bora said the grand alliance would keep its doors open to any anti-BJP party in the state.The AICC Assam in-charge said the party conducted surveys across the state to get public opinions. “We found that they want the like-minded parties to unite ahead of the polls,” he claimed.The Congress had conceived the idea of grand alliance last year. Subsequently, a proposal in this regard was submitted to the party’s central leadership for approval.The Congress had appealed to “like-minded parties” to join the grand alliance so the BJP could be defeated in the polls. The AIUDF had liked the idea so much that it sent a party delegation to meet the state Congress leaders and hold a discussion on it.Elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly are due by April-May.