Opposition parties in Assam seem to be in a race to become an alternative to ruling BJP and its allies on their own in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
With Congress, the second-biggest party after BJP in Assam staring at further shrink of its strength following exodus of several MLAs and leaders, Opposition leaders are now joining parties like Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with the promise to their supporters about emerging as an alternative to BJP and its allies.
"Trinamool Congress under Mamata Banerjee's leadership is now the only party which can provide an alternative to people looking to unseat BJP government in 2024. In Assam, we can become the alternative as people had voted for Congress and BJP and are now looking for an alternative," former president of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee and Rajya Sabha member, Ripun Bora said in Guwahati on April 27 after Mamta Banerjee appointed him as president of TMC's Assam unit.
Bora, who was Congress' biggest face after Tarun Gogoi's death in 2020, quit the party and joined TMC last month following differences with party leaders during the Rajya Sabha elections.
At least four young leaders, including Kamal Medhi, a former aide of Akhil Gogoi and a strong opposition voice against BJP, joined AAP on Monday, days after quiting Akhil-led party, Raijor Dal. Akhil is now the only MLA of Raijor Dal. Manoj Dhanowar, son of former Congress minister Rameswar Dhanowar, also joined AAP days after quitting Congress. Medhi had joined Congress in 2018, months before 2019 Lok Sabha polls but later joined Akhil's party. Medhi also said that AAP can be BJP's alternative given people's response to the corruption-free politics espoused by Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi and Punjab. AAP made its debut in Assam politics by winning in a ward of Guwahati Municipal Corporation last month.
Akhil's party Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parishad, another anti-BJP party are also leading campaigns against BJP without hint of any tie up. Badruddin Ajmal's party, AIUDF too has denied possibility of further alliance with Congress in the future.
The race of the Opposition parties, according to observers, carries the possibility of keeping them divided and thereby helping BJP and its allies, AGP and UPPL in the Lok Sabha polls. "If the Opposition does not unite in time, it is going to be a cakewalk for BJP again," a former Congress leader, who did not wish to be named, said.
BJP had won nine out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 in Assam while Congress bagged only three. AIUDF and Independent won one seat each.
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