GUWAHATI: Assam Congress on Monday said the pre-poll alliance and subsequent seat sharing arrangements with All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the Left parites and other regional units for the upcoming Assam assembly elections will be strictly based on a “common minimum programme”.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president, Ripun Bora, and vice-president, Pradyut Bordoloi, said the AIUDF won’t be allowed to play communal politics from within the alliance.
A few days ago, AIUDF supremo Badruddin Ajmal, while addressing a rally at Gauripur in Western Assam, had alleged that the BJP intends to demolish 3,500 mosques in India. His comments had led to a controversy, with the BJP coming down heavily on Ajmal for making such “communal” remarks.
“AIUDF is not the major partner. The grand alliance of the Opposition parties in Assam is headed by the Congress. We will treat all partners in a dignified way. However, there will be a line which we expect people not to cross and the alliance will go ahead based on a common minimum programme. Congress won't tolerate AIUDF making any communal statement,” senior Congressman Bordoloi said. He, however, felt that AIUDF has not yet made any communal remarks.
Contrary to Bordoloi’s stand on AIUDF, Assam PCC president Ripun Bora said the party has asked AIUDF to not make any communal statements. “We have already told AIUDF that communal statements, like the one Ajmal made a few days ago, should not be repeated by our alliance partners. Their remarks should not hurt sentiments and beliefs of people. However, Ajmal has not said anything against Hindus. Instead, many BJP leaders are spreading hatred against Muslims,” Bora added.