Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF), one of the prominent political parties in Assam, which claims to represent the minorities and deprived sections of the society, gears up for the coming Lok Sabha elections. The party, which is contesting the Parliamentary election for the first time, has decided to contest in eight parliamentary constituencies in the state – Silchar, Barpeta, Dhubri, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Koliabor, Mangaldai and Karimganj.
The president of the party and perfume baron, Maulana Badruddin Ajmal is contesting from Silchar parliamentary constituency. The parliamentary constituency has been represented by Union Minister and Congress heavyweight Santosh Mohan Dev since 1980. Of the estimated 10 lakh voters in the Silchar constituency, 45% are Muslims. CPM candidate Nurul Huda won from the Silchar Lok Sabha constituency only once in a by-election in the 1870s. AUDF is also fielding Sirajul Ajmal, brother of Badruddin Ajmal, in Koliabor where the Congress has fielded Tarun Gogoi’s younger brother and sitting MP Dip Gogoi. Sirajul Ajmal is an MLA from the Jamanumukh Assembly seat, in the Koliabor seat.
Ajmal is expecting that the party can win at least 5 seats. He alleged that Tarun Gogoi-led government had done nothing to ensure a better life and security to the minorities. He added that over the recent years, people belonging to the minority community in the state have been suffering from a sense of insecurity.
AUDF is desperately trying to deal a blow to Congress after all its efforts to reach a poll agreement with the national party failed in the state. AUDF had used its entire links in Congress to make the deal, but Tarun Gogoi’s strong opposition did not make it happen. The minority cell of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) had also lobbied at the centre to prevent the leaders of the party from entering into any poll alliance with AUDF. However, a section of the Congress MPs and AICC in-charge of Assam V. Moily was in favour of the alliance.
Ajmal also floated the idea of a third front from the state with NCP, CPI and CPM. But the idea failed to materialise as the constituent parties had common interests in a few constituencies and did not want to sacrifice them. AUDF is also considering contesting Lok Sabha elections in five states, including UP. The party is planning to contest at least 25 Lok Sabha seats in UP. The presence of AUDF in the poll scenario is giving jitters to some senior Congress leaders. They know that the party will eat into Congress’ minority vote-bank.
AUDF made its mark returning with 10 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly elections in 2006. AUDF, according to Ajmal, was formed with the objective of fighting for the underprivileged and downtrodden rather than minorities alone.
MAULANA BADRUDDIN AJMAL
Maulana Badruddin Ajmal Qasmi from Hojai, Assam, is, besides being the President of AUDF, a Fadhil degree holder, a successful businessman as well as an eminent social worker and philanthropist.
Ajmal got his Fadhilat from Darul Uloom Deoband, and he is associated with many prominent religious institutions and bodies of India. He is a member of Advisory Board of Darul Uloom Deoband, UP, and Central Working Committee, Jamiat Ulama-e Hind. He is the President of Assam unit of Jamiat Ulama-e Hind and Tanzim Madaris-e Qaumia. Tanzim Madaris is a Madrasa Board of all the non-government madrasas of Assam, numbering more than 400. Tanzim Madaris prepares the curriculum and conducts examinations. Besides, Ajmal is in the executive body of numerous other madrasas, yatimkhanas (orphanages), schools, and associations of Assam and other parts of India.
Ajmal is also actively engaged in various socio-educational and charity works. He is the president of Markazul Ma’arif India, founded in 1982, that runs, among others, a group of English-medium boarding schools and a yatimkhana. The yatimkhana is the largest in northeastern India. Ajmal is also the Managing Trustee of HAMM Public Trust, Hojai, best known for the multi-crore charitable hospital at Hojai. Ajmal is also the Chairman of Markazul Ma’arif Education and Research Centre (MMERC), Mumbai, an institution that caters to the modern needs of the madrasa graduates by making Ulema computer-literate and fluent in English. The Centre also promotes research works on socio-religious and economic fields. In 2006, Ajmal instituted Maryam Ajmal Women’s Science College at Hojai to facilitate higher education for women in Assam.
Ajmal, born in 1955, is the son of Ajmal Ali of Donkigaon village, Assam, who set up a family business which has become a global company today. The Ajmal Group of Companies deals in attar (traditional perfume), with a catch-line “The scent of success,” essential oils, textiles, readymade garments, traditional garments, leather goods across Africa, East Europe, Middle-East and South-East Asia through a network of over 500 retail shops. During the last assembly elections in 2006 the declared assets of Ajmal and his wife were worth 30 crore. He was hailed as the richest candidate in the fray.
Ajmal entered politics in 2005 after the ruling Congress failed to prevent the scrapping of the controversial Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) (IMDT) Act. He formed AUDF in October 2005 to “protect the interest of the minorities.” He had the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid campaign for his party and against Congress.
As per the Election Commission’s election schedule for the 15th Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam, 3 constituencies – Karimganj, Silchar and Autonomous district – will go to the polls on April 16, while the electorate in the remaining 11 seats will exercise their franchise on April 23. At present, out of the 14 MPs of Assam 9 are Congress, 2 BJP, 2 AGP and 1 Independent. In all, there are 23 parliamentary seats in the 7 north-eastern states – Assam 14, Meghalaya 2, Nagaland 1, Arunachal Pradesh 2, Manipur 2, Mizoram 1 and Tripura 1.