Shah Targets Cong, AIUDF in Assam, Says ‘They Fight Polls Against Each Other During Day, go ILU ILU at Night’

Shah was attacking the two parties as the AIUDF has decided to contest from only 3 of the 14 Lok Sabha seats this time. While it has not entered into an alliance with the Congress, this decision is likely to help the grand old party, say insiders.

Jorhat (Assam): Here to campaign for Lok Sabha elections, BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday targeted the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) by mocking their love-hate relationship. (Also read: PM Modi at Meerut Rally Likens SP-RLD-BSP Alliance to Liquor)

Warning the public to not get taken in by appearances, he said, “Din mein to Congress party ke Gogoi ji aur Ajmal (AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal) aamne saamne chunaav ladte hain. Magar jab raat hoti hai, dono ke beech mein ilu-ilu chalu ho jata hai (Congress and AIUDF fight elections during the day and at night, they go ‘I love you).”

#WATCH BJP President Amit Shah in Jorhat says, “Din mein to Congress party ke Gogoi ji aur Ajmal (AIUDF Cheif Badruddin Ajmal) aamne saamne chunaav ladte hain. Magar jab raat hoti hai, dono ke beech mein ilu-ilu chalu ho jata hai.” #Assam pic.twitter.com/kx6Sk0EWYE

— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2019

Shah was perhaps ridiculing how the AIUDF had decided to contest only three of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state as this could help the Congress. Assam goes to polls in three phases — April 11, 18 and 23.

The AIUDF had earlier decided to contest seven seats but scaled it down to the three (Dhubri, Barpeta and Karimganj) it had won in 2014 when it had contested 10 seats.

In 2014, the BJP won seven seats while the Congress, then the ruling party, was reduced to three seats (Kaliabor, Diphu and Silchar).

Reports quote Congress insiders as saying that AIUDF was one of the reasons for party’s defeat. The AIUDF has claimed that its decision had nothing to do with the Congress.

The two parties could not enter into an alliance either despite Ajmal’s open offer because a majority of PCC leaders were against the tie-up.

The BJP chief has spent the day in Assam. Before arriving here, he was to address a public rally in Kaliabor.

Shah is accompanied by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma, state BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass and AGP president Atul Bora.