The Congress on Tuesday evening announced the formation of a six-party grand alliance in an attempt to oust the “divisive” ruling BJP in the Assam Assembly elections this year.

The announcement of the Congress-led alliance comprising the AIUDF, CPM, CPI, CPI(M-L) and the Anchalik Gana Morcha was made in the presence of senior AICC leaders tasked to oversee and guide the state unit in what is going to be a challenging electoral contest.

The Congress (20) and AIUDF (14)are the only parties with legislators in the 126-member House. The Congress had won 26 seats in 2016.

The development was along expected lines because the Congress had started work on stitching a grand alliance last year, triggered by the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in December 2019, which is considered anti-Assam.

The alliance announcement was made by PCC chief Ripun Bora at a hotel here where representatives of all the parties, senior AICC leaders and the media were present. Hours earlier, an Election Commission team led by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora met political parties at the same venue in connection with the Assembly polls.

Bora said the doors are open to include more secular parties in the alliance so that the Opposition votes do not get divided.

Those backing the grand alliance assert it could prove to be a tougher nut for the BJP to crack. The BJP-AGP-BPF alliance had a vote share of 41.9 per cent in 2016, while the Congress and the AIUDF garnered vote shares of 31 and 13 per cent respectively.

“Together (Cong and AIUDF), we have over 44 per cent vote share and now the Left votes will also get added. The margin of defeat was very less in over 30 seats last time when we had no alliance and at the peak of the Modi wave. Mathematically there are good reasons to be hopeful. We won seven seats in Upper Assam last time. It cannot get worse than that. But now the faction-ridden state leadership has to play its part and select winnable candidates with a good image,” a Congress insider said.

Opposition from within the Assam PCC, especially leaders from Upper Assam, against any direct pre-poll tie-up with the AIUDF, had delayed the announcement of the grand alliance by about three months.

This section fears an adverse impact of an alliance with the AIUDF on the Congress’s prospects in Upper Assam where the AIUDF is seen as a party supporting the cause of illegal Bangladeshi migrants.

There was so much opposition that the state leadership left the issue to be decided by the central leadership.

Congress insiders said before the announcement, AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam, Jitendra Singh, and four secretaries had not only taken the views of state leaders on the pre-poll alliance with the AIUDF and other organisational issues but also toured the state extensively to gather feedback from the ground. While there was reservation about a direct alliance with the AIUDF, most were in favour of a grand alliance.

The decision took a formal shape after the arrival of AICC appointed observers — Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, Mukul Wasnik and Shakeel Ahmed Khan — on Monday. All of them were present during the announcement.

PCC media department chairperson Bobbeeta Sharma told The Telegraph that the Congress-led alliance of the six parties has taken a formal shape and a common minimum programme will be worked out in due course. Asked whether there is still reservation about an alliance with the AIUDF, she said it was a grand alliance and not with one single party.

“All of them have decided to come together with one common goal, that is to oust the divisive and anti-Assam BJP. There is no pre-condition. This is something the people of Assam also want,” Sharma said.

The ruling BJP-led alliance said there was nothing to be surprised or worry about the grand alliance because

the Congress and the AIUDF always had a tacit understanding.

“In the 2014 general elections, they had a secret understanding but we got seven of the 14 seats. In 2019, they had an half-open alliance but we got nine seats. Going by past results, in 2021 Assembly polls, we will surely achieve our target of 100-plus seats, because of this unholy alliance between the Congress and the AIUDF,” BJP chief spokesperson Rupam Goswami said.

The BJP has been attacking the proposed alliance between the two parties even though the Congress has been insisting that it was a grand alliance to unite the anti-BJP votes.

Political observers say that if the grand alliance chooses its candidates properly and comes up with an appealing electoral narrative it can give a good fight. However, it is still going to be a tough ask against a well-entrenched BJP and after factoring in the proposed alliance between the two newly floated regional outfits — Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parishad.

Poll panel visit

Earlier, a full-fledged Election Commission team met representatives of political parties here in connection with the Assembly polls.

Aminul Islam of the AIUDF said they have sought a two-three phase polls but before Bihu in April, allow doubtful voters to exercise their franchise since they are not pronounced guilty and proper CCTV surveillance at polling centres.

The BJP has sought three-phase polls, two before Bihu, besides announcement of the Covid-19 protocol to be followed and new polling stations since 5.5 lakh new voters will be added this time.

Niran Borah of the Congress said that they have requested for free and fair polls, appointment of senior, strict and neutral observers, adequate security and proper surveillance in remote polling centres and in counting centres to check malpractices.

The announcement of the grand alliance is set to add to the political heat which will soar further with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah on January 23 and 24 respectively.