AIUDF signals ‘Ekla Cholo’ strategy, plans to contest 28–32 seats in Assam Assembly polls

With political preparations intensifying ahead of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has signalled a calibrated electoral strategy, indicating that it may contest only a limited number of seats while extending support to a broader anti-BJP front after the polls.

AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam said the party is currently preparing to contest between 28 and 32 Assembly constituencies, with the final decision expected within the next two to four days.

Speaking on the party’s electoral strategy, Islam said the AIUDF’s primary political objective remains to counter the influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.

“Our fight is against the BJP. We will support the anti-BJP forces in the election,” Islam said, adding that while the party has the organisational strength to contest over 100 seats, it has deliberately chosen not to do so.

According to the AIUDF leader, contesting a large number of constituencies could potentially divide opposition votes and inadvertently benefit the ruling BJP. The party, therefore, intends to adopt a more strategic approach by limiting the number of seats it contests.

Islam further clarified that the AIUDF will not enter into any formal pre-poll alliance with other political parties. Instead, the party plans to contest the elections independently, guided by the principle of “Ekla Cholo”, a strategy that emphasises fighting the electoral battle alone while keeping the possibility of post-election cooperation open.

Despite ruling out pre-poll alliances, Islam underscored that the party remains committed to the larger goal of forming a secular, anti-BJP government in Assam.

“We want all anti-BJP secular parties to come together and form a government. If such a government is formed, we will support it unconditionally,” he said.