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JD (U) banks on Nitish Kumar’s goodwill, eyes 32 assembly seats in Assam
The JD (U) had drawn a blank in the 2016 Assam assembly election when it contested four seats.
Despite the recent setback in Arunachal Pradesh where six of its seven MLAs joined the ruling BJP, the JD (U) has set its eye on northeastern states and has identified 32 out of 126 seats where the party may field candidates in Assembly polls due in April this year.
The party had contested our seats in the 2016 Assembly polls in Assam but drew a blank.
In 2020, the JD (U) became a recognised state party in Arunachal Pradesh where it won seven seats in the Assembly election.
In Tripura, where Assembly elections are due in 2023, the JD (U) has started strengthening its organizational set-up.
“We want to capitalise on the sentiments prevailing against the All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) of Badruddin Ajmal. The BJP is a strong force in the state but it hardly fields candidates against Ajmal’s party,” said JD (U) national secretary and in-charge for the northeast, Sanjay Verma.
“What has added to our belief of a better performance in these two states is that people have great respect and trust on Nitish Kumar. The development works done by Kumar, especially in Assam’s Nagaon district, during his tenure as Union railway minister when rail lines were laid for over 120 km, is still remembered by people. This rail line became the lifeline for many and they profusely thank him for this,” Verma said, and added that people believe in the party’s secular credential, which will certainly pay rich dividends in the polls.
Verma also claimed that the JD (U) plans to cash in on “sentiments against the AIUDF”.
“The party has identified at least 32 seats in districts such as Nagaon, Tinsukia and Barpeta and to encash sentiments against the AIUDF. The Congress’s presence in Assam is virtually negligible and the AIUDF has also lost the people’s trust. A final decision will be taken by the senior party leaders,” he said.
Verma said many young Muslims have been inducted recently into the party in Assam. “They will have an added advantage of the party’s secular image under Nitish Kumar’s leadership,” he said.
The JD (U) general secretary said the party has also stepped up its activity in Tripura where it aims to fill up the political space vacated by the CPI (M) and is planning to take on the BJP. “We have started strengthening the organizational set-up in the state,” said Verma.
At its recent national executive meeting, JD(U) had announced its plan to contest the West Bengal assembly election as well.
The JD (U) suffered a setback recently when six of the seven MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh defected to BJP. The party had won seven seats in the 60-member assembly in the state, next only to the ruling BJP which bagged 41 seats and secured a majority.
