Regional players AJP and Raijor Dal forge alliance for Assam assembly polls

Newly floated Assam JatiyaParishad AJP, led by former AASU leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi, onThursday forged an alliance with the Raijor Dal of jailedanti-citizenship law activist Akhil Gogoi for the upcomingassembly elections.The former student leader, after a two-and-a-half-hour-long meeting with the activist at Gauhati Medical Collegeand Hospital GMCH here -- where he is undergoing treatmentfor various ailments -- said that the two new regional partieshave stitched an alliance, and an announcement would soon bemade to this end, in the presence of the other leaders.We had been holding talks about putting up a unitedfight against the ruling BJP.

Newly floated Assam JatiyaParishad (AJP), led by former AASU leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi, onThursday forged an alliance with the Raijor Dal of jailedanti-citizenship law activist Akhil Gogoi for the upcomingassembly elections.

The former student leader, after a two-and-a-half-hour-long meeting with the activist at Gauhati Medical Collegeand Hospital (GMCH) here -- where he is undergoing treatmentfor various ailments -- said that the two new regional partieshave stitched an alliance, and an announcement would soon bemade to this end, in the presence of the other leaders.

''We had been holding talks about putting up a unitedfight against the ruling BJP. Today, both the parties sealedan alliance. A formal announcement will be made in a few daysin the presence of leaders from both the parties,'' Lurinjyotitold PTI outside GMCH.

Last month, Raijor Dal working presidents Bhasco DeSaikia, Kabindra Chetia Phukan and Jitul Deka had written toLurinjyoti, seeking an electoral understanding between the twoparties to oust the BJP-led ruling coalition from power.

Saikia, when contacted, said, ''We have decided to forman alliance with the AJP, and look forward to defeating theBJP and its allies. The election strategy will be devised inthe coming days and we will work accordingly.'' Lurinjyoti also said that his outfit is in talks withthe Bodoland People's Front (BPF), which is currently a partof the BJP-led state government, and the discussions are''moving in the positive direction''.

''We have already tied up with Autonomous State DemandCommittee from Karbi Anglong. We are also looking to ally withthe Ganashakti and the Rabha Hasong, both of which are part ofthe NDA. We want to create an alliance of ethnic parties thatwill engage in inclusive politics,'' Lurinjyoti said.

The BPF's relations with the BJP soured during therecent Bodoland Territorial Council elections, as the saffronparty dumped its state ally and joined hands with the UnitedPeople's Party Liberal (UPPL) and Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) togovern the body.

Exuding confidence that regional forces, led by theAJP and the Raijor Dal, will form the next government in thestate, the former All Assam Students' Union leader furthersaid, ''Akhil Gogoi, during the meeting, enquired about thepolitical scenario in Assam. He asked us to strengthen ourfight against the communal forces. We will soon decide aboutseat sharing and other details.

The two leaders met for the first time here since theformation of their outfits last year, albeit talks of alliancewere doing the rounds for quite some.

Gogoi, arrested by the National Investigation Agencyin December 2019 for his alleged role in the violent anti-citizenship law protests, was admitted to GMCH after he testedpositive for COVID-19 last year. He had since been undergoingtreatment for multiple ailments.

''The government has confined him in a veryundemocratic and fascist manner. He should be released soon.

He was involved in a public movement, not any anti-nationalactivities,'' Lurinjyoti told reporters.

Elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly are likelyto be held in March-April.

The BJP is currently the single largest party in thestate with 60 MLAs, while its allies -- the Asom Gana Parishad(AGP) and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) -- have 13 and 12lawmakers in the assembly respectively.

The ruling coalition also has the support of anIndependent MLA.

The opposition Congress has 19 MLAs in the House, andthe All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has 14legislators.