Lone Hindu AIUDF MLA quits party, set to join ruling BJP

Assam’s opposition, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), received a jolt on Tuesday with one of its legislators quitting from primary membership of the party

Updated on: Aug 31, 2021, 21:12:53 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Assam’s opposition, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), received a jolt on Tuesday with one of its legislators quitting from primary membership of the party.

File photo: AIUDF chief Badrudidn Ajmal. (ANI)

Phanidhar Talukdar, the lone Hindu among AIUDF’s 16 MLAs, was elected from Bhabanipur constituency in Bajali district. He is slated to resign as a legislator on Wednesday and join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“I am herewith resigning from the post of secretary, AIUDF legislature party with effect from today. In addition, I am also withdrawing my primary membership of AIUDF party in the larger interest of the people of my constituency and the people of Assam,” Talukdar wrote in his letter to AIUDF president Maulana Badruddin Ajmal.

Tuesday’s development comes a day after Congress decided to sever ties with the AIUDF. Both parties were part of a ‘grand alliance’ of 10 parties opposed to the ruling BJP in the assembly polls.

Formed in 2006, the AIUDF primarily has a base among Bengali-speaking Muslims. Apart from Talukdar, all other MLAs who got elected in this year’s assembly polls are Muslims.

Talukdar is the third newly elected MLA who had resigned from the parties after the assembly polls. Earlier, two Congress MLAs, Rupjyoti Kurmi of Mariani and Sushanta Borgohain of Thowra, resigned from the party and also quit as members of the assembly.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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