The number of constituents in the Congress-led grand alliance in Assam has grown to 10 with the inclusion of two community-based parties.
Jimochayan (Deori) People’s Party (JDPP), which represents the Deori community influential in about 18 seats in Upper Assam, and the Adivasi National Party (ANP), influential in about 32 seats in Upper Assam, are the latest to join the alliance, which was formally announced here on January 19 with six parties.
The six parties were Congress, The All India United Democratic Front, CPM, CPI, CPI(ML) and the Anchalik Gana Morcha. Subsequently, the Bodoland People’s Party (BPF) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) joined.
“Few days ago, the JDPP and ANP joined. They are only supporting the alliance but not contesting the three-phase polls from March 27,” a party insider said.
The Jimochayan (Deori) People’s Party was formed in 2015 and had contested the 2016 Deori Council polls winning six seats.
The Adivasi National Party was formed in 2018 and had contested four seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
JDPP leader Mohesh Deuri said they were supporting the alliance and in return would need its support in the next Deori council polls.
ANP president Bijay Tiru said they would want the alliance's support in the next panchayat polls.
Congress (20) and the AIUDF (14) are the only parties with legislators in the 126-member House.
Congress had been working on stitching up alliances after assessing that it won’t be able to challenge the well-entrenched BJP on its own. The BJP-AGP-BPF alliance in 2016 Assembly polls had a vote share of 41.9 per cent while the Congress and AIUDF had a 31 and 13 per cent vote share contesting separately. The Left has no MLAs, but it has its pocket of influence, which could prove vital in a tight contest.
The Opposition party, which had on Thursday launched the state-wide “Congress 5 guarantee” rally, on Friday said its job-guarantee commitment to the unemployed youth had received a huge response.
“We have received 70,000 registrations in just a few days on the party’s campaign website: www.Congressor5Guarantee.in. The party has guaranteed one lakh government jobs annually once voted back to power in the upcoming polls.
“People have accepted our vision of progress if we go by the number of applications secured for guaranteed government employment,” Bobbeeta Sharma, media department chairperson, said.
Congress’s five guarantees include a legislation that curbs the operation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, generation of five lakh government jobs; raising tea workers’ daily wage to Rs 365; free electricity up to 200 units per household; and Rs 2,000 monthly income support to all housewives.
