GUWAHATI, March 17 (PTI): AIUDF, RJD and JD(U) today announced a grand alliance of "secular parties" in Assam and invited Congress to join them to fight BJP in the forthcoming assembly polls.
"We want a grand alliance in Assam of all secular parties on the lines of the recent Bihar polls to fight jointly against BJP and its communal politics," AIUDF chief and Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal told reporters here.
"We had discussion with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad in this regard and asked Congress to join us in our effort to fight against BJP and prevent the party from finding a foothold in Assam," he said.
"In Assam we want Congress and AGP to join us along with JD(U) and RJD, but AGP went ahead with BJP and Congress did not act, maybe due to certain compulsions," he said.
"We, however, once again invite Congress to join us even now. We are ready to welcome them to the grand alliance so that we can fight against the communal forces which have already taken roots in the state, Ajmal said.
JD(U) general secretary and northeast in-charge Arun Kumar Srivastava said people of Assam were disturbed with BJP and its brand of politics and false promises.
RJD state convenor Kanak Gogoi urged Congress to join the alliance as "Assam is a secular state and we will not allow BJP to gain a foothold in the state".
AIUDF will contest around 76 seats and announced a list of 19 candidates for the second phase today while a list of 23 candidates for the first phase has been already announced.
Both JD(U) and RJD will contest around 12 seats and they announced a list of five candidates each today.
Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav are scheduled to campaign for the alliance partners for the ensuing polls.
Alliance promises compensation
Victims of communal violence and ethnic cleansing in Assam would be provided compensation at par with the victims of 1984 Sikh riots, said the Common Minimum Programme of the AIUDF, RJD and JD(U). Emphasis will be given to provide employment and bank loans to widows, orphans and people injured in these targeted violence, AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal told reporters here.
Pension will also be provided to the widows and children whose parents/husbands or relatives were killed in these violence, he said.
The alliance will also ensure security of life and property of minorities and Hindi speaking people living in Assam.
