Assam Oppn MLAs Taken To Jaipur Hotel ‘to Prevent Horse-Trading’

“The day we form the government, the BJP will contact us,” AIUDF’s Badruddin Ajmal told the media.

Image of Congress party’s hand symbol, and image of AIUDF’s leader Badruddin Ajmal used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Arnica Kala / The Quint) 

Just two days after polling concluded for the Assam Assembly elections, several MLAs of the Congress alliance have been sent to Jaipur so as to prevent them from being lured by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to reports.

As per NDTV, at least 22 MLAs have been taken to the Fairmont Hotel.

Speaking to the media, All India United Democratic Front ‘s (AIUDF) Badruddin Ajmal said that the MLAs will be contacted the day the Mahajot alliance forms the government in Assam.

“We will form the government on 2 May. Those who have a habit of horse-trading will do so. Till now, the BJP hasn’t approached us but it certainly will. The day we form the government, the BJP will contact us. Don’t know how many of our people are travelling out of the state,” he said.

‘Will Bear the Expenses,’ Says Congress

Rajasthan Congress leader Mahesh Joshi told ANI that the Congress will bear the expenses of the MLAs.

"We will take care of people coming here. We don't know their parties and why they've come here. There are around 20 people. Congress will bear expenses. Till the BJP is at the Centre, there will always be a possibility of buying MLAs,” he said.

“It is now a trend since the BJP tries to break the Congress after losing elections. So they (allies) want to take guard,” Congress’s Randeep Singh Surjewala said, as quoted by NDTV.

The Congress, which governed Assam from 2001-2016, formed a 10-party 'Mahajot' (grand alliance) with three Left parties - CPI (M), CPI and CPI (ML) - and six regional and local parties - All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the Anchalik Gana Morcha, BPF, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Jimochayan (Deori) People's Party and Adivasi National Party.

After the Bodoland Territorial Council polls in December last year, the BJP had forged an alliance with two local parties - United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) - discarding its old ally Bodoland People's Front (BPF). The AGP is the BJP's second important ally.

During the last Assembly elections in 2016, the BJP had allied with AGP and BPF, which have three ministers in the Assam Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The results of the Assam Assembly polls will be declared on 2 May.

(With inputs from ANI, IANS and NDTV.)