Another regional party emerges in Assam to take on BJP-led govt

A new regional party emerged in Assam on Tuesday to take on the BJP-led government in the next year's assembly elections.

The party, named Sanjukta Anchalik Dal, Asom, was formed at a public convention organised by social organisation Anchalikatabad Suraksha Mancha in Tezpur that was attended by several prominent citizens, including National Award-winning filmmaker Jahnu Barua, sources said.

The name of the party was decided after several hours of intense closed-door discussion after the public convention, a source who attended that meeting said.

Earlier in the day, Anchalikatabad Suraksha Mancha convenor Arup Borbora told reporters that the new party, which will be formally announced at a press meet on Wednesday, will work in association with other like-minded regional outfits to oust a "communal force like BJP" from the power.

Later, he told PTI, "A decision has already been taken. We will announce it tomorrow." Many workers of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) also attended the open forum of the convention during the day and spoke about the need for a strong regional force.

"The AGP not only betrayed the people of Assam, but they even cheated their own ground workers. Today everyone has come and expressed their anguish," said Borbora, a senior advocate of the Gauhati High Court.

He also said that the new party will be an uncompromising regional outfit and its goal will be not only to win the 2021 polls but also to work for protecting the Assamese culture and identity.

Sanjukta Anchalik Dal, Asom (SADA) will be the third regional front formed in recent times with an aim to take on the BJP-led government in the state.

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) on August 22 announced that it will launch a political party to fight the assembly elections in 2021 and its jailed leader Akhil Gogoi will be the chief ministerial candidate.

Former journalist and Rajya Sabha Member Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, who was supported by Congress and AIUDF, has also recently floated a new regional entity -- 'Anchalik Gana Morcha' (AGM) -- to fight the assembly elections slated for March-April next year.

On August 19, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP) set up an 18- member committee of prominent people to suggest the two organisation's future course of action, a step towards their much talked about political entry ahead of the assembly polls.

The Congress has proposed a 'Grand Alliance' with all like-minded forces to take on the BJP-led government in the assembly polls. The AIUDF has already agreed to join it.

The election to the 126-member Assam Assembly is likely in March-April next year. The 2016 elections gave a fractured mandate and no party has an absolute majority in the current assembly.

The BJP is the single largest party with 60 MLAs, while its allies AGP and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) have 14 and 12 lawmakers, respectively. The ruling coalition also has the support of an Independent MLA.

The opposition Congress has 23 MLAs, while the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has 14 members.

Image credits: PTI