By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: Perfume baron and Assam United Democratic Front chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal seems to have got an edge over his rival Congress candidate in Assam’s Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency. People are looking with interest at the seat wherein they expect a direct and tough fight between AUDF and the Congress.
On one hand Congress leaders are campaigning with all strength for the party nominee and sitting MP, Anwar Hussain. Chief Minister of Assam, Mr. Tarun Gogoi is also busy attracting voters in the minority-dominated areas. He has addressed a number of election meetings in the south bank of the district.
On the other hand, AUDF supremo Badruddin Ajmal, who is fighting for Dhubri besides Silcher constituency, is leaving no stone unturned for his victory. He got the upper hand as the AGP-BJP’s candidate Nilimay Prodhani’s nomination was rejected last week. Though AGP-BJP combine is now supporting Arun Das of Rastrabadi Sena – who does not stand anywhere in front of Maulana Ajmal because he is not a familiar figure in the district – the fight is all set to be between AUDF and Congress.
A big plus point for Maulana Badruddin Ajmal is that the ruling Congress has just one MLA in Dhubri district while AUDF has three sitting MLAs in South Salmara, Dhubri and West Bilasipara. Maulana Ajmal himself is representing Dhubri.
Moreover, AUDF president Maulana Ajmal got enough time for campaigning as he had already covered almost all the areas of the Lok Sabha constituency before the announcement of the LS polls.
There are 13, 75,585 electors in the Dhubri LS constituency and the number of Hindu votes is approximately, 4, 50,000. The total electors of three assembly segments represented by AUDF stand at 3, 97,957. In the last Lok Sabha polls, the sitting MP Anwar Hussain retained the seat by securing only three lakhs votes.
Seeing all these facts, observers say that Maulana Badruddin Ajmal will give a tough fight to the Congress sitting MP, Anwar Hussain who has earned displeasure of a sizeable part of minority voters.
Meanwhile, Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, during a rally warned Tarun Gogoi-led Congress Government in the state of a big jolt after the Lok Sabha poll and said that Congress will score zero in the forthcoming electoral battle and the exit of Congress is eminent.
Criticizing the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and two of his junior colleagues Raqib ul Hussain and Himanta Biswa Sharma, the AUDF supremo said that they have become restless because of the unprecedented rise of his party and hence began to beat about the bush.
On the other hand, the ruling party has alleged that AUDF has entered into a secret understanding with AGP-BJP combine following the rejection of the candidature of Nilimay Prodhani.