All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA Rafiqul Islam said that apart from fighting in three Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam, it would support any strong candidate against the BJP in the remaining 11 seats.

“We are contesting three out of 14 seats in Assam- Dhubri, Nagaon and Karimganj. In the remaining 11 seats we would prefer if any non-BJP candidate win the election. We would like it if BJP is reduced to zero in Assam. If Congress and its allied parties win in the 11 seats, we do not have any objection…,” Islam said, speaking to ANI after releasing the party manifesto in Guwahati on Tuesday.

The AIDUF MLA said that the Congress has betrayed its partners in the INDIA bloc by not giving enough seats to its allies in Assam.

“The Congress party should have given some more seats to its partners in the alliance, like the CPM, Trinamool and Aam Aadmi Party. They have only fielded Lurinjyoti and betrayed other parties. In the end, the Aam Aadmi Party, CPM, Trinamool fielded their own candidates. This has made it easy for the BJP. We have this objection against the Congress,” Islam said.

Speaking about the non-Congress candidates that his party is supporting in the 11 Lok Sabha seats where they are not contesting, the AIDUF leader said that they are supporting Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) candidate Durga Das Boro from Darang Udalguri Lok Sabha constituency, Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPM candidate Manoranjan Talukdar from Barpeta and Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Radheshyam Biswas from Silchar.

“We have seen that in Darang Udalguri Lok Sabha constituency, BPF has fielded a strong candidate against BJP. We had also fought together in the last Assembly polls…Durga Das Boro won the assembly polls with our support…In Barpeta we have seen the CPM candidate Manoranjan Talukdar since he is a strong candidate against the BJP. The Congress has betrayed him,” Islam said.

“Similarly, in Silchar, the Trinamool was not allowed to contest from the INDIA bloc. So we are supporting Radheshyam Biswas who has been an MP. The TMC is putting up a fight against the BJP in Silchar. The Congress is way behind,” he added.

The AIUDF MLA underlined that it does not have any problem if the Congress or its allies wins against the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.

“Though we have no interest in the other seats as we are not contesting from there, if the Congress and the other parties in its alliance win against the BJP we have no problem,” Islam said.

Underlining that they are not in alliance with the Congress, the AIUDF leader stressed that they are not weakening the Congress’ fight against the BJP. He also pointed out that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which is in alliance with the Congress, has fielded its own candidates in Assam.

“We are not in alliance with the Congress. We are independent. Our fight is against the BJP. We are not with the Congress. But if you look at the Aam Aadmi Party which has a seat-sharing pact with the Congress in Delhi, is fighting against the Congress in Assam. So what is wrong with our choice?” Islam said.

Rubbishing the BJP’s target of winning 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls as yet another lie, the AIDUF leader said that their candidates after winning from the three seats will be supporting the non-BJP government at the Centre.

“BJP’s ‘400 paar’ target is a ‘jumla’. BJP engages in such things. When it fails to cross even 200 seats, it will say that it was a ‘jumla’. After the first phase, political analysts say that the BJP did not fare well. A non-BJP government will be formed in Delhi. Our three candidates will win and support the non-BJP government,” Islam said.

Advocating for madrasas in Assam, Islam said, “Madrasa is our educational institution. Our children go to schools as well. We want every child in Assam whether Muslim or from other community to go to schools and get religious education along with it. This is to put an end to violence, drugs menance, alcoholism, gambling, oppression…”

The second phase of polls will be held in five parliamentary constituencies in Assam – Karimganj, Silchar, Diphu, Nagaon and Darrang-Udalguri on April 26.  Notably, Assam has 14 Lok Sabha constituencies, of which five–Kaziranga, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat–went to the polls on April 19.

In the third phase, voting will be held in the Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Barpeta, and Guwahati parliamentary constituencies. The counting will take place on June 4.