Keyed Up? Newly Formed AUDF Makes Congress-AIUDF Alliance Lose Sleep Ahead of Assam Polls

A new minority-based party is new ‘headache’ for Congress and their ally All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in a few constituencies before the Assam elections. Two disgruntled AIUDF ticket aspirants formed the new party that is now being criticised as a ‘confusing copy’ of AIUDF. The Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) resonating with Moulana Badaruddin Ajmal led-AIUDF and its party symbol is a ‘Key’ – quite similar to AIUDF’s ‘Lock and Key’ representation.

AUDF has announced candidates in two minority dominated constituencies of central Assam. AUDF Party President Nurul Amin Choudhury will contest from Rupahihat seat and Secretary Motiur Rahman will contest from Batadrava seat in Nagaon District as independent candidates but with their party symbol of the ‘key’.

While the Congress is seeing it as a ‘bigger conspiracy’ to divide minority votes, both candidates are confident of winning their respective seats.

Why is Congress-led Mahajot losing sleep over the AUDF?

As per Congress-led Mahajot (Grand alliance) seat sharing formula, Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF has been given 21 seats for the polls scheduled from March 27. This seat sharing was done to keep minority votes intact for the alliance.

The 21 constituencies where the AIUDF will field candidates are Jamunamukh, Bilasipara West, Mankachar, Sonai, Dhubri, Jania, Sarukhetri, Abhayapuri South, Bhabanipur, Dhing, Dalgaon, Naoboicha, Bilasipara East, Katlichera, Goalpara West, Jaleswar, Gauripur, South Karimganj, Badarpur, Algapur and Hailakandi.

On the other hand, Rupahihat and Batadrava are two constituencies where AIUDF has a strong hold but they have been given to the Congress.

In the previous assembly elections, both newly floated AUDF candidates gave a tough fight under the AIUDF banner. This time, Congress is worried that they will damage Mahajot candidates’ winning prospect. During the last polls, Congress MLA Nurul Huda had won with 70,408 votes and AIUDF candidate Nurul Amin Choudhury at secured the second position with 50,754 votes in the Rupahihat Constituency.

While contesting for his re-election, Congress candidate Nurul Huda alleged that this newly floated party is trying to confuse AIUDF supporters and will sabotage mahajot prospect by dividing minority votes.

Batadrava AUDF candidate Motiur Rahman claimed they have a fair chance of winning both seats and slammed AIUDF leadership for rejecting their candidature. Notably, in the 2011 assembly elections Rahman secured 40,819 votes under the AIUDF banner and Congress’s former minister Gautam Borah secured a narrow win with 40,950 votes.

These elections, Gautam Borah is contesting from Mahajot against sitting BJP MLA and former popular actor Angurlata Deka. Assumptions are being made that the probable minority vote division with AUDF will only help the BJP candidate.

The AIUDF on Monday suspended the duo for ‘anti-party and destructive’ activities. In an AIUDF party statement, their decision to fight the election was slammed as ‘whimsical’ and a gross violation of the party constitution.