Badruddin Ajmal says he doesn't want to be Assam CM

Guwahati: Badruddin Ajmal, the chief of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) today clarified via Twitter that he is not in the in the running to become the next chief minister of Assam, replacing Sarbananda Sonowal.

"It has come to my notice that a particular news channel has been conducting an online opinion poll for the next Chief Minister of Assam. The channel has also included my name in the list. AIUDF has been regularly expressing it's unwillingness for the post of CM," Ajmal wrote in a Twitter post moments earlier.

"I offer my love and gratitude towards AIUDF supporters, however, AIUDF stands for unity and development in Assam and we would be committed to do so within grand alliance", he wrote in another tweet.

Staring that his party will be a partner in the government by the people's mandate following the upcoming election outcome, Ajmal added that he "will remain serving the people of Dhubri, Assam and NE from the Parliament."

The Congress led grand alliance or ‘Mahajath’ comprises the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), AIUDF, Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M), the Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) Liberation or CPI(ML), and the Anchalik Gana Marcha (AGM).

The Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) has also broken away from the BJP-led alliance to join the ‘Mahajath’.

Although the alliance's leaders have time and again stated that the chief minister candidate will be from the Congress ranks, speculation remains over whether Ajmal -- an MP from Dhubri -- will be selected as the next chief minister based on his popularity in Upper Assam.