The AIUDF will be contesting only three seats out of the 14 Lok Sabha election ensuring that vote division amongst Muslim remain minimal in Assam, helping the Congress in at least three seats directly.
The AIUDF will be contesting in Barpeta, Dhubri and Karimganj. Their decision was announced officially by the AIUDF general Secretary Aminul Islam.
"We have been reading media reports on an alliance. But, so far there has been no talk between AIUDF and Congress. We will fight 2019 Lok Sabha elections alone" said Islam.
"AIUDF core committee decided to contest only three constituencies- Dhubri, Barpeta and Karimganj. Badaruddin Ajmal from Dhubri, Hafiz Rafikul Islam from Barpeta and Radheshyam Biswas to contest from Karimganj"- Islam added.
The AIUDF's decision is going to be big game changer in Assam politics as it will directly benefit Congress in Mangaldoi, Nagaon and Koliabor seats. In each of these three seats AIUDF had around 14-15% vote share which will now go to Congress.
Last time in 2014, Rajen Gohain in Nagaon and Ramen Deka in Mangaldoi won only due to Muslim vote split despite Narendra Modi wave. But despite the AIUDF-Congress secret seat sharing made things much more difficult for BJP.
Although AIUDF had maintained a visible difference with the Congress but there is secret seat sharing specially in Dhubri and Karimganj seat. The Congress will put up a weak candidate in Dhubri while already the Congress's choice Swarup Das at Karimganj constituency is facing allegation that he is not a scheduled caste.
