AIUDF focuses on rural economy, agrarian issues in preparation for panchayat polls

Guwahati, Nov 30: Slowdown of the rural economy, agrarian distress, eviction, land patta, and 'religious persecution' will be the main poll planks of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in the forthcoming panchayat elections in Assam, which will be held in January-February next year.

In an interaction with The Assam Tribune, AIUDF general secretary Champak Kalita said that the Badruddin Ajmal- led party is now rejigging its organisation up to the gaon panchayat (GP) level with an eye on the panchayat elections and the 2026 Assembly polls.

"AIUDF is getting battle-ready for the panchayat polls. We refrained from contesting the recent bye-elections to five Assembly constituencies due to our focus on the upcoming panchayat polls and our ongoing organisational activities. Post-2014, the rural economy is in the doldrums and facing a massive crisis across the country, including Assam. We are going to highlight the incumbent Central and State governments' failure to revive the rural economy and the farm sector. Agriculture is going through an acute crisis and farmers are being deprived of even the minimum support price for their produce. Besides, our party is traditionally strong in the minority-dominated areas of Assam. Religious persecution is a big is- sue for the minorities, who have been the major victims of eviction drives as well. The State government has adopt- ed a biased attitude towards the minorities during implementation of schemes like 'Basundhara'. People in the char areas continue to be deprived of land pattas. There is lack of even basic infrastructure in the rural areas of the State. Our party is already undertaking agitational programmes on these issues. These will be the main issues for us during the panchayat polls campaign," Kalita said.

AIUDF has so far not taken any decision about entering into an alliance or seat-sharing arrangement with other parties for the panchayat elections, he added.

"In addition, panchayat polls are a grass-root affair where local factors come into consideration and it is difficult to facilitate transfer of votes. That is why alliances in such polls are rare. But we shall take a final call on the matter once the elections are formally announced. However, on principle, the AIUDF has always tried its best to ensure that the anti-BJP vote does not get fragmented and that shall remain our agenda in the future as well," the senior AIUDF leader said.

AIUDF recently reconstituted its central committee, followed by restructuring of the district and block unit and its frontal organisations. Kalita pointed out that this time the panchayat polls will be held without party symbols at the GP level.

"Therefore, we are looking to coordinate our activities in an organised manner so that all our candidates for the GP wards and GP presidents' posts can secure a common symbol. In the anchalik panchayat (AP) and zila panchayat (ZP) levels, party symbols are allowed," Kalita said.

AIUDF is primarily focusing on Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, Darrang, and pockets of Lakhimpur district, in addition to the entire lower Assam belt and Barak Valley for the panchayat elections.

Asked about AIUDF's prospects of being admitted into the 15-party Asom Sonmilito Morcha (ASOM) or joining hands with the Congress, Kalita asserted that his party swears by Opposition unity.

"That is why we sacrificed many of our sitting seats during the 2021 Assembly polls. However, the other Opposition parties have failed to reciprocate our gestures over the years. We have heard Opposition leaders talk of unity minus the AIUDF They should keep in mind that barring Akhil Gogoi of Raijor Dal and Manoranjan Talukdar of CPI (M), the only Opposition parties having representation in the Assembly are the Congress and the AIUDF.

Even Manoranjan Talukdar won in 2021 due to our support. AIUDF is the second-largest Opposition party. So it is illogical to speak about Opposition unity without taking the AIUDF on board. In the recent bye-polls, the Congress was unable to retain the Samaguri seat despite the AIUDF not being in the fray. This exposes the lies of the Congress, which has always accused the AIUDF of maintaining a secret relationship with the BJP. We still pin our hopes on some sort of understanding or adjustment with other anti-BJP parties. But we feel that it is the other Opposition parties which are acting as B-teams of the BJP," he added.

By-

Pranjal Bhuyan