Badruddin Ajmal Exclusive: 'Alliance with Congress due to compulsion'
Assam's prominent Muslim face and All India United Democratic Front president Maulana Badruddin Ajmal speaks exclusively to Asianet Newsable's Yacoob on the 'Mahajath' in the poll-bound state and the issues on which the political alliance will reach out to the people.
FollowIs your alliance with the Congress in Assam based on compulsion or shared interests?
This (alliance) was due to compulsion and the compulsion is to chase the BJP from Assam. There was no other way and in the past when we fought elections by dividing ourselves, BJP and AGP (Asom Gana Parishad) got through easily. So this time we did not take any risk and held discussions with central leaders (of Congress). We spoke to Rahul Gandhi and the AICC in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh and concluded that we (AIUDF and Congress) should come together or BJP and AGP will once again come back to power. To keep these forces (BJP and AGP) away from power, we got into an alliance. This is also the need for Assam people.
Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently called you an 'enemy' of Assam. How do you respond?
For me, people like minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are irresponsible and I think there is some 'mental health' issue with him. After the election, I will get him treated at my hospital. In fact, he is the enemy of Assam but I don't want to say this.
How confident do you feel ahead of the Assam elections?
In 'Mahajath' (alliance on the lines of Bihar's Mahagathbandhan) seven parties have come together. The biggest is our party, the All India United Democratic Front, followed by Congress, Hagrama's (Bodoland People's Front) party, and the Communist Party of India-Marxist. When all come together, our winning chances are very high.
What are the key issues on which this election is being fought?
Number one will be the promises that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji made in the last five years, all ended up as false. He has not fulfilled even a single promise, be it job creation or price rise issues. They came to power talking about price rise, but they did nothing. They also promised to cut on privatization, but have not even worked one per cent on that.Â
There are other big issues like NRC, CAA issues. Farmers issue is also a big thing for us. We cannot ignore any farmers' issue. They (BJP) promised benefits for tea garden workers but were not fulfilled. They want to give Rs 250 (wage) but our alliance has decided to give Rs 365 a day as wage once we come to power. Recently, Priyanka Gandhi also promised the same. On these issues, we will fight and we are confident that the people of Assam people will give us full support.
The AIUDF had been upset with Congress with regard to its lack of clarity on the CAA issue. Has the Congress party given you any assurances?
In Silchar, All India Mahila Congress President Sushmita Dev who is more concerned with Bengali issues may have got scared (favoured the CAA) and gave some statements, but the party (Congress) is very clear. They are against the CAA and even the central Congress leadership is also against the CAA.
In the last election, AIUDF secured 13 seats out of the 74 constituencies it had put up its nominees in the state. There are seven partners in the grand alliance. How many seats are you expecting to contest upon?
Men learn from their previous mistakes. In the past, when we fought in 70 plus seats, we got fewer seats. We got 18 seats in the past and now have 3 MPs. This time, we have demanded 30 seats only and hope that we will be able to get close to 28 seats and others will also have to get seats. The alliance is ready to accommodate them.
How far have the seat-sharing talks progressed?
God willing, it should be done in a day or two. I am not well today. I will reach Guwahati and sort this issue at the earliest.
What is your alliance's common minimum programme?
Yes we have got a common minimum programme and this will be out soon. It will be shared across all the media platform
Who will be your alliance's chief ministerial face?
This is like guessing a baby's gender even before the wedding. Congress never declares any chief ministerial candidate in advance and we are yet to get the power. There is no question on who will be the chief ministerial face. Once the alliance comes to power, we all will sit and discuss the CM candidate, and the party that gets a majority of MLAs will have the right to claim that post.
Recently, the Assam government shut government-sponsored madrassas and also Sanskrit Tols? What is your take on the matter? How are you using this issue in your campaigns?
This is a national issue and it's a conspiracy against madrassas all over the country. You told me earlier that Himanta Biswa Sarma calls me an 'enemy'. Now you judge who is the real enemy of Assam. He forcefully closed madrassas and Tols (Sanskrit schools). We purely go by the Constitution which says every religion has a right to profess its own religious teachings and live peacefully with other religions. But Himanta Biswa Sarma does not understand this ideology. When he was in Congress and a cabinet thrice and also served as education minister he believed in this concept but after he defected to BJP from Congress, he has turned against Madarsas and became an 'enemy'
subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here.For more reliable and latest news
subscribe to Asianet Newsable Telegram channel by clicking here.
