Assam elections are 'make or break' for AIDUF's Badruddin Ajmal

With the AIDUF pairing with the Congress-led grand alliance, Ajmal now poses a significant threat to the BJP in the state

All India Democratic United Front, or the AIDUF, leader Badruddin Ajmal, faced flak on Twitter for allegedly saying "India will become an Islamic state" in a viral video earlier this week.

Later, various fact checks proved that the clip was doctored and that the AIDUF leader Ajmal never actually made such declarations.

Ajmal, a perfumer baron, an Islamic healer, now an influential leader ahead of Assam Assembly elections, has constantly found himself in the cross-hairs of the Bharatiya Janata Party. On the doctored video incident, he said the BJP was trying to divert public attention by attacking him.

With the AIDUF pairing with the Congress-led grand alliance, Ajmal is now a significant threat to the BJP's position in the state. The saffron party has targetted Congress for "surrendering", saying that the Muslim leader was an "enemy" of Assam.

The new Citizenship Amendment Act introduced by the Centre is a hot topic in the state. BJP vows to protect the state from "illegal migrants" and has made Ajmal the face of the security threat in Assam.

Also read: Assam Polls | No Modi wave this time, BJP polarising Hindus by showing my face: Badruddin Ajmal

Aware of BJP's strategy, Ajmal says the saffron party is polarising the electorate on communal lines by showing his face, invoking 'Mughals', and portraying the Muslim community as a threat.

AIDUF's influence in the state cannot be underestimated in the upcoming polls. Founded by Ajmal in 2005, the party managed to win 10 MLAs in the 2006 elections which got promoted to 18 in 2011, before plunging to 13 in 2016.

But Ajmal's influence in the state emerges from his business. His father is said to have moved to Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1950 and met Arabs who would collaborate with him to make perfumes. Agarwood's raisin or the Oudh oil was the key raw material for the perfumes, some of which was sourced from the fields of Assam.

The business, Ajmal Perfumes, is prominent across West Asia with over 270 stores. Ajmal, however, seems to be humble about the legacy. "I don’t know what our total revenue is. I am told our companies grew even during Covid. Four of my sons are in business. I want to groom my fifth son, Mohammed Ahmed, in politics,” he told The Economic Times.

The family's empire mostly remained obscure until Dubai’s deputy ruler Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum was seen at one of the company's events, which was symbolic of their influence in the political whereabouts.

But Ajmal was propelled into politics after a controversial law — Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983) — protecting the undocumented migrants in the state was quashed. Those affected by it were aided by AIDUF and this made Ajmal an anti-hero in the state.

However, he said he has no interest in the Chief Minister post and only wants "development" for Assam.

With CAA, once again identity politics has taken a centre-stage in Assam, and BJP's aggressive attempts to maintain its power in the state may make or break the case for Badruddin Ajmal.