Assam: United Opposition Forum to kickstart joint election campaign for LS polls
Guwahati: The Congress-led 15-party United Opposition Forum (UOF) in Assam has decided to prepare a draft of a state-specific common manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and announced to commence its campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha election on December 1.
After a joint meeting of the Forum the chief spokesperson of the alliance Mr Akhil Gogoi told reporters that the primary focus of the opposition's campaign would be on the alleged corruption within the chief minister's family.
Mr Gogoi said, "We are preparing a chargesheet against the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-led government in Assam and the chief minister, which will be completed shortly. We will table it in the next meeting of the Forum at Dibrugarh on November 30."
The UOF's General Secretary and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) President, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, said that the opposition is also working on a common minimum programme for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He informed that this would also be presented during the forthcoming meeting in Dibrugarh.
Expressing his confidence that this alliance would be able to present a formidable challenge to ruling BJP in the Lok Sabha elections Deputy Leader of Assam Congress Legislature Party (ACLP), Rakibul Hussain said, "The chief minister is scared of facing the United Opposition in the upcoming poll. Their party position is worse in Upper Assam. The Chief Minister himself explains what is going on in Lower Assam."
The Forum criticised the BJP for its focus on Hindutva, the opposition leaders said, “As the election is knocking at the door, the BJP is trying to spread communal hatred to divert the focus from real issues.”
Stressing the need of maintaining unity among the members of the Forum, the leaders also urged the members to be cautious while giving any statement to the media.
Key leaders attending the meeting included Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Kr Bora, CLP Leader Debabrata Saikia, Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, Raijor Daal President and MLA Akhil Gogoi, AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Assam Trinamool Congress (TMC) President Ripun Bora, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)State Coordinator Dr Bhaben Choudhary, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Leader Jatindra Nath Bordoloi, Communist Party of India (CPI) Leader Kanak Gogoi, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) Suprakash Talukdar, APHLC Leader Bikram Hanse, CPI(ML) Leader Pankaj Kumar Das, AIFB Leader Mihir Nandi, and Shivsena (UBT) Leader Ramnarayan Singh.
The leaders collectively discussed the pros and cons of issues affecting the Forum and underscored the need to maintain unity throughout their campaign.
