AJP-Raijor Dal alliance final, says Lurinjyoti Gogoi after meeting Akhil Gogoi at GMCH

GUWAHATI: The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) today put its seal of approval on its alliance with Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti-backed Raijor Dal for the Assam assembly elections scheduled tentatively for March-April.

AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who called on jailed Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital here today, said: “The alliance of AJP and Raijor Dal is final. We have sealed the deal. The objective is to ensure that votes of supporters of regional sentiment are not divided and Assam can be emancipated from the BJP’s clutches.”

“This is the first time I met Akhil Gogoi officially after we became presidents of our respective parties. We have discussed all aspects in detail and decided that all regional forces should come together to fight the BJP out of Assam,” he added.

He further reiterated that there could not be any alliance with national and communal party. “Both Raijor Dal and AJP are categorically opposed to any kind of alliance with any national party or communal party,” he said when asked about possibilities of a tie-up with the Congress-All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) led six-party alliance.

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"We will not allow the division of votes in any case. All regional forces will have to unite to ensure that," added AJP general secretary Jagadish Bhuyan.

Reiterating his call for Akhil Gogoi’s release at the earliest, the former All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) general secretary said: “We took stock of Akhil Gogoi’s health. We feel the government is keeping him confined with an undemocratic and fascist mentality. We demand immediate and unconditional release.”

The development came close on the heels of Raijor Dal leader Kamal Kumar Medhi recently stating that the AJP was giving a cold shoulder to his party’s proposal for an alliance. Medhi had also indicated that Raijor Dal would approach the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) for an alliance.

The BPF has also been in talks with AJP for an alliance. BPF leader Prabin Boro said Lurinjyoti Gogoi has already given the consent to the proposal.

The BPF, which is eyeing a revenge on the BJP that ditched it in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections last year, has also indicated that there could be post-poll alliance with the Congress as well if the situation arises.