Badruddin Ajmal is not anti-Hindu, BJP is more communal: Assam Cong chief

Assam Congress on Monday said chief of its ally AIUDF, Badruddin Ajmal, is t anti-Hindu and BJP, which accuses him of being communal, had in fact joined hands with his party to run three district councils in state. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora also exuded confidence that Congress-led alliance will oust Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power and form next government in rastern state.

Congress has formed an alliance with All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Left and a regional party to fight Assam Assembly polls that are likely to be held in April. Bora, who was instrumental in stitching opposition alliance, said Ajmal is a three-time Lok Sabha MP and people have seen his work and politics over years.

"Ajmal is t anti-Hindu, but talks only about welfare of Muslims. Talking about welfare of Muslims or people of his own religion is t a crime unless he hates people of or religions. Ajmal has never been anti-Hindu," he told PTI.

AIUDF is considered to have a large base among Assam's about-35-per cent Muslim population. Bora, a frontrunner for chief minister's post if Congress-led alliance is voted to power, said BJP has been saying Congress has joined hands with AIUDF, but fact is that saffron party itself had entered into a pact with Ajmal's party to capture powers in three district councils - Darrang, Karimganj and Nagaon.

" BJP has moral right to lecture us on politics," he said.

APCC president claimed that BJP is "more communal" than any or party as it had formed a government in Jammu and Kashmir along with "anti-India forces" like PDP, which "does t accept Indian constitution and Indian flag". " PDP had declared Afzal Guru, who was hanged for Parliament attack, a martyr," he claimed.

Asked about number of seats Congress is going to contest, Bora said of 126 Assembly seats in state, party would field candidates in around 90 and remaining 36 would be given to allies. He, however, said seat-sharing talks are yet to be concluded as re are "surprising demands" from partners.

Asked wher Congress would find it difficult to regain popularity among people in Upper Assam after its tie-up with Muslim-dominated AIUDF, APCC president said his party was t in an alliance with AIUDF in 2016 Assembly polls but still got less seats re.

" issue is t who has joined hands with whom. issue is to oust BJP and defeat its communal politics. issue is price rise, issue is deprivation of Assam, issue is Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and safeguarding indigeus people of state," he said.

Bora said Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Assam twice in last one month but did t utter a single word about CAA, which is a major issue in state Assembly polls. " CAA is a major issue for Assam. But why is prime minister silent on it?" he asked. CAA, enacted by Parliament in December 2019, proposes to grant citizenship to n-Muslim persecuted mirities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

According to law, Indian citizenship will be given to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from three countries, who had come to India till December 31, 2014. However, it contravenes provisions of 1985 Assam Accord, which says irrespective of religion, anyone coming from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971 would be deported from state. Because of this, Assam witnessed large-scale protests after CAA was enacted.

Asked about two newly-formed regional parties -- Asom Jatiya Parishad and Raijor Dal -- which refused to join opposition alliance, Bora said two parties will harm ruling BJP and t Congress. "y are products of CAA and going to fight BJP," he said. Congress leader asserted that party-led alliance will get at least 101 seats in Assembly polls and definitely form next government in Assam.

Asked about who would be chief ministerial face of alliance, he said it would be decided after polls. " one will be projected as chief ministerial candidate and it will be decided by MLAs after polls, with approval of (party) high-command," Bora said. He also blasted BJP-led government in rastern state for its "all-round failure" to fulfil hopes and aspirations of people. "t a single section of society is happy with BJP government in Assam. "We will form next government in Assam. BJP may try to polarise electioneering, but it will t be successful," state Congress chief said.