Political Tensions Rise in Assam Ahead of Rajya Sabha Elections

Political Landscape in Assam

Guwahati, Jan 10: As three Rajya Sabha seats from Assam are set to become vacant in April, the political contest has intensified, with both the ruling NDA and the opposition making strong claims regarding the elections.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has declared that the BJP-led coalition intends to contest all three seats, expressing confidence in securing at least two of them. Meanwhile, the opposition party, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), has nominated its president Badruddin Ajmal as a candidate and is seeking support from the Congress to win the third seat.

During a press briefing in Guwahati, Sarma stated that the BJP, along with its allies, including the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), will put forward candidates for all three vacancies.

“The BJP, AGP, and our coalition will compete for all three Rajya Sabha seats from Assam. We are confident of winning two seats, and the third may also come our way, depending on the final calculations,” Sarma remarked.

Currently, the seats are occupied by BJP MPs Bhubaneswar Kalita and Rameswar Teli, along with Independent MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan. Their terms are set to expire on April 9, with the Election Commission likely to announce the election schedule soon.

Sarma elaborated on why the BJP-led alliance did not field a candidate against Bhuyan in the last Rajya Sabha election, stating that they believed he would act neutrally.

“We expected him to remain impartial and serve the public interest. However, the recent controversies surrounding his use of Rajya Sabha MP funds are now widely known,” Sarma commented, referencing corruption allegations involving Bhuyan's MPLAD funds.

In the meantime, the AIUDF has officially declared Ajmal's candidacy for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election and has reached out to the Congress for support.

On January 9, AIUDF general secretary and MLA Rafiqul Islam stated that if the opposition unites, they have the potential to win one of the three seats.

“AIUDF has contacted Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, and other senior leaders to seek their backing for Badruddin Ajmal,” Islam noted.

He reminded the Congress of AIUDF’s previous support for opposition candidates.

“We have supported Congress and other opposition nominees in Rajya Sabha elections and presidential elections in the past. This time, it is only fair that Congress reciprocates,” Islam added.

Challenging the NDA's assertion of a potential clean sweep, Islam contended that the ruling coalition lacks the numbers to secure all three seats.

“Given the current strength in the Assembly, the NDA cannot win more than two seats. They do not possess the strength for the third. If the opposition stands united, we can certainly claim that seat,” he stated.

In the legislative Assembly, the BJP holds 64 MLAs, while its allies AGP, UPPL, and BPF have nine, seven, and three legislators, respectively, providing the NDA with a solid majority.

On the opposition side, the Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF has 15, CPI(M) has one, along with one Independent legislator.