Political sparring intensified in Guwahati on Monday night after Badruddin Ajmal, chief of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), launched a sharp attack on Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of opportunistic politics and alleging a behind-the-scenes understanding between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress.
Speaking to reporters in the city, Ajmal dubbed the Chief Minister a “Palturam” (turncoat), claiming Sarma had shifted political loyalties purely to retain power. Drawing a comparison with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Ajmal alleged that the Assam CM’s move from the Congress to the BJP and what he described as a fresh “tacit understanding” with the Congress signal political insecurity ahead of the elections.
Ajmal further claimed that eviction drives carried out across different parts of Assam, including areas around Guwahati, were proceeding with the consent of both major parties. According to him, the alleged convergence between the BJP and Congress has become evident on the ground, particularly as the election season approaches.
Taking aim at recent opinion polls discussed widely in Guwahati’s political circles, Ajmal dismissed the People’s Pulse survey as a “BJP Pulse”, arguing that it does not reflect public sentiment in the city or the wider state.
The AIUDF chief also announced that his party would field two women candidates for the first time in the upcoming elections, a move he said was aimed at broadening representation. On alliances, he maintained that AIUDF remains open to discussions with opposition parties to form a wider anti-BJP front.
Ajmal’s remarks have revived earlier exchanges involving Guwahati MP Gaurav Gogoi, who last year accused both Himanta Biswa Sarma and Ajmal of political interdependence. Gogoi had claimed that AIUDF often emerges as a factor whenever the BJP feels electorally threatened.
As campaign rhetoric sharpens in Guwahati, the latest round of allegations underscores how the city remains a focal point of Assam’s political contest in the run-up to the polls.
