by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Talks are also afoot with Prafulla Mohanta faction of the AGP. The Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee is also keen to enter into an electoral understanding with other secular forces.
When Lokmat contacted Badruddin Ajmal, he said, "We fought against the Congress all through. But times have changed. We need to stop the BJP. Lets see how it can be done."
The TMC has already thrown broad hints of going with the Congress in West Bengal and modalities are being worked out. But in Assam, the situation is somewhat different as these secular parties do not want the state to be divided on communal lines.
Special
Nitish Kumar working for Grand Alliance in Assam
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Dec 10
A grand alliance is being worked
by all like-minded parties against the BJP in Assam. A beginning was made on
Thursday by Janata Dal (U) leader and chief minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar when
he held detailed consultations with the All India United Democratic Front
(AIUDF) president Badruddin Ajmal.
Talks are also afoot with Prafulla Mohanta faction of the AGP. The Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee is also keen to enter into an electoral understanding with other secular forces.
Nitish met Congress president
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and other leaders separately on
Thursday. The subject was how to sew an alliance against the BJP in every
state.
When Lokmat contacted Badruddin Ajmal, he said, "We fought against the Congress all through. But times have changed. We need to stop the BJP. Lets see how it can be done."
Ajmal's party has a large
following in the state and won 18 seats out of 126 in the state in 2011
Assembly polls. The AGP won ten while TMC secured one seat. But if these parties
come together, they may be a formidable alternative alliance to the Congress
rather than allowing the BJP to gain credence. The BJP had won 5 Assembly seats
only in 2011. But in May 2014 due to Modi wave, the BJP won seven Lok Sabha
seats.
Since Assam is a do or die battle
for the BJP after two major setbacks in Delhi and Bihar assembly polls, secular
parties including Congress are also working out modalities to keep BJP at bay.
The TMC has already thrown broad hints of going with the Congress in West Bengal and modalities are being worked out. But in Assam, the situation is somewhat different as these secular parties do not want the state to be divided on communal lines.
The state unit of Congress in
Assam and chief minister Tarun Gogoi is also keen that AIUDF, TMC, JD (U) and
AGP may contest separately. However, a final decision is yet to be taken.
