A CORRESPONDENT
TANGLA: Though the Congress-led Mahajot (grand alliance) tumbled and failed to oust the BJP government in Assam, with most of its allies displaying a poor show, the perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) performed well winning 16 seats, having fought in 19 seats, including friendly fight between Congress and AIUDF in six.
The AIUDF candidates won in Badarpur, Hailakandi, Katlicherra, Algapur, Sonai, Mankachar, Dhubri, Gauripur, Bilasipara (East), Bilasipara (West), Bhabanipur, Jonia, Chenga, Dalgaon, Dhing and Jamunamukh. Most of the party candidates won their seats with great margin. Rafiqul Islam won the Jonia seat by a record margin of 1,44,775 votes and Mazibur Rahman by over 55,000 votes.
"To bury the failures of their government, the BJP targeted AIUDF and Ajmal and polarized voters. When polarization takes place on one side, it happens on the other side as well," said AIUDF organizing secretary Md Aminul Islam. "Though we won more seats this time, the polarization that took place isn't good for Assam. The BJP's campaign polarized our voters as well and this could lead to social disharmony in future, which we don't need," said Islam. "We had won 18 seats in the past even without having an alliance with anyone. So there was no particular benefit by joining the Mahajot. We had come together to overthrow the BJP, but that didn't happen," he added.
The student wing of the All India United Democratic Front, United Democratic Students' Front (UDSF) general secretary Mustaque Hussain said, "We have performed tremendously well and we are hopeful that our legislators will work towards the growth and overall development of their constituencies." "We want politics of development and not the politics of polarization which is detrimental to the social fabric of the composite greater Assamese society," he added.
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