The Divided Frontline Of Asom

hen Assam goes to the polls in two phases, on April 4 and 11, the key issues that will be on voters’ minds are corruption, development, militancy and law and order. Pointing out that the major political parties in the fray—the Congress and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)—are banking more on others’ failures than their own successes, analysts say that at this stage there seem to be no clear favourites. “Campaigning is starting to gather momentum in the state,” says Arupjyoti Choudhury, professor of politics at Cotton College, Guwahati. “With issues being brought to the fore, and each party playing up the shortcomings of the other, there is no one clear alternative before voters.”

While the incumbent Congress, in power for the past two consecutive terms with chief minister Tarun Gogoi at the helm, has been trying to highlight its efforts at development, the main opposition, the AGP, has been alleging rampant corruption by the Government. This includes the Rs 1,000-crore North Cachar Hill District scam, in which Congress ministers allegedly made money from the funds allocated.

The Congress, meanwhile, has been reminding voters of the reason why they outsted AGP leader and former CM Prafulla Mahanta ten years ago. Not only had there been allegations of political ‘killings’ against him, but the AGP had been perceived to be intolerant of the migrant minority community, who have a presence in many of Assam’s 126 constituencies. This is perhaps why the AGP is projecting both Mahanta and the more acceptable AGP president, Chandra Mohan Patowary, as chief ministerial candidates.

This time round, the Congress has to tackle anti-incumbency as well as retain its hold over Muslims. To this end, it is learnt that central party leaders are in informal talks with the All-India United Democratic Front, headed by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal. Corruption charges against the government are on the poll card of the BJP too. And though it would have liked a pre-poll alliance with the AGP, that was not be. But the AGP has made it known it is not averse to a post-poll tie up.

Perhaps the one issue plaguing each of Assam’s political parties is links with the banned ULFA. Gogoi recently hinted at an ULFA-AGP link. Patowary dismisses the charge and counter-attacks. “People know that Congress had taken ULFA help in the last assembly elections and it will be the same this time,” he says.