Eleven opposition parties in Assam have formed a coalition against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The parties came together in Tezpur for a meeting to devise a joint strategy for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Notably, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), led by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal Qasmi, was excluded from this alliance.
Loren Jyoti Gogoi, the President of Assam Jatiya Parishad, expressed satisfaction with the meeting, stating that previous attempts to unite opposition parties ahead of the 2021 assembly elections were unsuccessful. However, this time they have started preparations early, aiming to field a joint opposition candidate against the BJP in 2024.
Gogoi accused Badruddin Ajmal of being a BJP agent, justifying the exclusion of AIUDF from the opposition meeting. He claimed that AIUDF engages in communal politics, indirectly benefiting the BJP.
Akhil Gogoi, an MLA from Shivsagar, emphasized the need to defeat the BJP in 2024 to safeguard the country’s constitution. The meeting involved the participation of eleven opposition parties, and efforts will be made to convince the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to join the coalition. However, AIUDF, considered a communal party, will not be extended an invitation.
The opposition’s primary objective is the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but they intend to maintain the alliance until the 2026 Assam assembly election. Bhupen Kumar Borah, President of Assam Pradesh Congress, stated that the united opposition does not want AIUDF to be a part of the coalition. The party leadership has been informed of this decision to prevent Badruddin Ajmal from undermining the opposition’s unity. As for seat distribution, discussions are going on, but the main focus remains on securing victory in the elections.
