By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS,
Guwahati : In a surprise move, perfume baron and Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) leader Badruddin Ajmal Saturday said his party will back candidates of Assam's main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) in next month's parliamentary elections.
"If we think that some AGP candidates are good and competent with a secular face, then we might help them in some seats to win the elections," Ajmal told IANS.
Ajmal's stand is significant as the AGP has a pre-poll tie up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the AUDF is known to be a party espousing the cause of the minority Muslims in Assam.
"The AGP is not in an alliance with the BJP, but just has a seat sharing arrangement. Our stand is clear, we are not going to support the AGP-BJP combine and would only back AGP candidates wherever we think it does not clash with our own candidates," the AUDF president said.
Ajmal's stand comes a day after AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary said his party would have preferred an alliance with the AUDF for better performance in the elections.
"We are fighting Congress and BJP forces. We have no problems with the AGP and still hope we can work out a partnership with the regional party in the future," the AUDF leader said.
The AUDF was formed just before the 2006 assembly elections and managed to win 10 of the 126 assembly seats thus becoming the third largest party in Assam after the Congress and the AGP.
"We would put candidates in eight to nine seats of the 14 parliamentary seats on our own and hope to win in four to six seats," Ajmal said.
He himself will contest from two seats - Dhubri and Silchar.
Ajmal said actor Suresh Oberoi is willing to contest the parliamentary elections from Assam on an AUDF ticket.
"I am not ruling out the possibility of fielding Oberoi. Let me tell you filmstars and glamour are today part and parcel of politics...from Dharmendra to Hema Malini and now Sanjay Dutt. Actors are liked by the people," said Ajmal, a man who is also a Maulana (cleric) from the well-known Muslim seminary in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh.
"We hope some film stars would come for campaigning," said Ajmal, who has made a fortune by exporting 'ittar' or traditional Indian perfume, primarily to the Middle East.
Political analysts and opposition parties are of the view that the AUDF would be a crucial factor in the polls as Muslims account for about 30 percent of Assam's 26 million people.
"Surely the AUDF would be a major factor in the elections and I have no hesitation in admitting this political reality," AGP president Patowary told IANS.
But Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of the Congress party said AUDF is not a factor and cannot impact the poll outcome.
"It is for the people to judge which party is a factor or could command the support of the voters...why pre-judge the minds of the electorate?" retorted the bearded AUDF leader, skull cap in place.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Monday, March 09, 2009
AGP not part of NDA despite poll tie-up with BJP
By IANS,
Guwahati : Assam's main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) clarified Monday that it was not part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) even though it had stitched an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the run-up to the general elections.
"Let me clarify that we are not part of the (BJP-led) NDA. The AGP and the BJP are partners for the Lok Sabha elections forged to defeat the Congress party," AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary told journalists here.
The AGP leader's clarification comes after BJP president Rajnath Singh last week told journalists that the regional party was a partner of the NDA.
Patowary said the seat sharing arrangement with the BJP would in no way dilute the regional character of the AGP.
"The Congress party is getting nervous and frustrated by the day and hence coming up with all theories about the AGP getting marginalised by the BJP following our alliance. In reality, the Congress is really worried with our electoral tie up," Patowary said.
"We challenge the Congress government to publish a white paper on development activities in Assam," the AGP president said.
Under the seat sharing arrangement, the BJP would contest in eight of the 14 parliamentary seats in Assam, while the AGP would field candidates in six constituencies.
On Monday, Patowary formally announced the names of the six contesting candidates.
In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won nine seats and another by an independent that later supported the ruling party. In the same elections, the AGP and the BJP won two seats each.
"We are confident of routing the Congress this time and are hopeful of wresting a number of seats from the ruling party," Patowary said.
Guwahati : Assam's main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) clarified Monday that it was not part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) even though it had stitched an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the run-up to the general elections.
"Let me clarify that we are not part of the (BJP-led) NDA. The AGP and the BJP are partners for the Lok Sabha elections forged to defeat the Congress party," AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary told journalists here.
The AGP leader's clarification comes after BJP president Rajnath Singh last week told journalists that the regional party was a partner of the NDA.
Patowary said the seat sharing arrangement with the BJP would in no way dilute the regional character of the AGP.
"The Congress party is getting nervous and frustrated by the day and hence coming up with all theories about the AGP getting marginalised by the BJP following our alliance. In reality, the Congress is really worried with our electoral tie up," Patowary said.
"We challenge the Congress government to publish a white paper on development activities in Assam," the AGP president said.
Under the seat sharing arrangement, the BJP would contest in eight of the 14 parliamentary seats in Assam, while the AGP would field candidates in six constituencies.
On Monday, Patowary formally announced the names of the six contesting candidates.
In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won nine seats and another by an independent that later supported the ruling party. In the same elections, the AGP and the BJP won two seats each.
"We are confident of routing the Congress this time and are hopeful of wresting a number of seats from the ruling party," Patowary said.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
AGP-BJP alliance a factor for Assam polls, says chief minister
Guwahati, March 8 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Sunday admitted that the pre-poll tie-up between the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be a factor in next month's parliamentary elections.
"Yes, AGP-BJP (alliance) would be a factor in the elections, although we have totally stopped thinking of the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) as the party would have no bearing or impact on the elections," the chief minister said.
Gogoi was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a political convention in Guwahati, marking the Congress party's formal launch of the election campaign in Assam.
"Development would be our main election mantra and this time we are hopeful of bettering our performance compared to the 2004 parliamentary elections," the chief minister said.
Launching a scathing attack on the AGP, Assam's main opposition party, Gogoi said the regional party has lost its identity by clubbing itself with the BJP.
"See the fun how the AGP surrendered before the BJP. Out of 14 parliamentary seats in Assam, the BJP is contesting in eight seats, while the AGP was allowed to field candidates in just six seats as per their seat sharing adjustment," the chief minister said with a tone laced with sarcasm.
"The BJP would swallow the AGP in the days ahead and the regional party would be further marginalised in the bargain."
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Mabel Rebello said the final list of candidates for Assam would be announced by Wednesday.
"There could be some new faces and I can say that if not two, at least one woman candidate would be there in the list and she would win the polls," Rebello said.
More than 5,000 Congress party workers attended Sunday's political convention where leaders called for aggressive campaigning in the run up to the April 16 and April 23 elections in Assam.
"Let the message of development and stability reach the masses and as responsible Congress workers we all should mobilise all our resources and reach out to the masses from today onwards," Congress' Assam unit president Bhubaneswar Kalita said.
The Congress won nine of the 14 seats in the 2004 parliamentary elections. An independent MP later went on to support the Congress.
"Yes, AGP-BJP (alliance) would be a factor in the elections, although we have totally stopped thinking of the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) as the party would have no bearing or impact on the elections," the chief minister said.
Gogoi was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a political convention in Guwahati, marking the Congress party's formal launch of the election campaign in Assam.
"Development would be our main election mantra and this time we are hopeful of bettering our performance compared to the 2004 parliamentary elections," the chief minister said.
Launching a scathing attack on the AGP, Assam's main opposition party, Gogoi said the regional party has lost its identity by clubbing itself with the BJP.
"See the fun how the AGP surrendered before the BJP. Out of 14 parliamentary seats in Assam, the BJP is contesting in eight seats, while the AGP was allowed to field candidates in just six seats as per their seat sharing adjustment," the chief minister said with a tone laced with sarcasm.
"The BJP would swallow the AGP in the days ahead and the regional party would be further marginalised in the bargain."
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Mabel Rebello said the final list of candidates for Assam would be announced by Wednesday.
"There could be some new faces and I can say that if not two, at least one woman candidate would be there in the list and she would win the polls," Rebello said.
More than 5,000 Congress party workers attended Sunday's political convention where leaders called for aggressive campaigning in the run up to the April 16 and April 23 elections in Assam.
"Let the message of development and stability reach the masses and as responsible Congress workers we all should mobilise all our resources and reach out to the masses from today onwards," Congress' Assam unit president Bhubaneswar Kalita said.
The Congress won nine of the 14 seats in the 2004 parliamentary elections. An independent MP later went on to support the Congress.
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