AIUDF and Congress have secret friendship, says BJP Minister Pijush Hazarika

BJP Minister Pijush Hazarika on September 10 alleged that the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) have a clandestine friendship, despite outward appearances to the contrary.

Hazarika pointed to the last Lok Sabha elections as evidence of this covert alliance. During that time, both the Congress and AIUDF denied having any political affiliation. However, AIUDF conspicuously refrained from fielding candidates in Nagaon, Kaliabor, or Barpeta constituencies. Instead, the Congress nominated a relatively weak candidate in Dhubri, an AIUDF stronghold. Hazarika suggested that this strategic move demonstrated a hidden friendship between the two parties.

The BJP Minister argued that if AIUDF had contested in Nagaon and Kaliabor, Congress might not have emerged victorious. He surmised that this tactical strategy was a deliberate attempt to secure each other's interests. Despite occasional criticism, Hazarika asserted that their underlying friendship was palpable.

However, Hazarika noted that the forthcoming delimitation exercise might change the dynamics. With redrawn constituencies, the Congress and AIUDF could find themselves competing against each other. Nevertheless, he underlined that they generally maintained an amicable relationship, both regionally and nationally.

Hazarika stated AIUDF's historical alignment with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Badruddin Ajmal's consistent support for Congress in Parliament. 

Shifting the focus to his own party, the BJP Minister expressed confidence in their electoral prospects, asserting that they anticipated securing 11 seats in the upcoming elections.

Responding to recent praise from Akhil Gogoi, who commended him as a good minister, Hazarika remained modest. He maintained that public opinion would ultimately determine his performance and that he was dedicated to fulfilling his responsibilities as Assam's Water Resource Minister. Hazarika took pride in swift action, highlighting his administration's achievement of repairing embankments within a week, an accomplishment unprecedented in the region. His overarching goal, he said, was to ensure that his departments consistently delivered their services effectively.