Gaurav Gogoi Slams CM Sarma for Taking AIUDF Support for RS Poll

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Gaurav Gogoi has accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of allegedly seeking the support of the AIUDF for a Rajya Sabha nomination. Gogoi claimed that this move exposes the "power-centric" nature of the BJP's politics, noting that Sarma, who has spent years publicly branding the AIUDF as a communal party, has now been compelled to seek their support to maintain his political standing.

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Gogoi Details 'Political Contradiction'

Claiming that three AIUDF MLAs, Karimuddin Barbhuiya, Nizamuddin Choudhury, and Zakir Hussain Laskar, have signed the nomination papers of the NDA's Rajya Sabha candidate, Pramod Boro of the UPPL, Gaurav Gogoi launched a sharp critique of the Chief Minister.

Gogoi remarked that for years, Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged the people of Assam to fear the AIUDF, frequently "targeting the minority community" in his speeches by using polarising terms like "Miya" and "Osinaki."

Gogoi further alleged that the Chief Minister has actively fostered societal divisions by supporting aggressive eviction drives and "bulldozer politics." He further noted that the moment the BJP faced a shortfall in numbers for the third Rajya Sabha seat, the same AIUDF, previously branded as communal, suddenly became acceptable to the ruling party, exposing the sheer power-centric nature of its politics.

Questioning the political contradiction, Gaurav Gogoi asked why the BJP felt compelled to rely on AIUDF support to secure the victory of NDA candidate Pramod Boro if the party truly posed a threat to Assam. He challenged the Chief Minister, asking if the persistent fear-mongering and harsh rhetoric used in public rallies were merely political theatre.

"The Chief Minister often speaks about ideology and principles, but the moment his power is threatened, those principles disappear," Gogoi remarked, adding that for a leader who claims to prioritise the protection of Assam, safeguarding his own chair now appears to be the paramount concern.

AIUDF is BJP's 'B-team': LoP Debabrata Saikia

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, asserted that these events offer clear proof that the AIUDF functions as the BJP's "B-team."

Saikia pointed out that while a UPPL minister already serves in Himanta Biswa Sarma's cabinet, the BJP has now been forced to lean on AIUDF MLAs to facilitate the Rajya Sabha entry of UPPL president Pramod Boro.

"Although both parties publicly claim they have no ideological alignment, in reality, they will do anything to sustain their power-centric politics," Saikia said.

He further alleged that the BJP has long maintained a covert relationship with the AIUDF, characterising the public exchange of abuses between the two parties as a calculated political strategy designed to mislead the public. Saikia concluded by remarking that the BJP is effectively incapable of functioning without the "oxygen" provided by the AIUDF. (ANI)