It will not be a cakewalk for AIUDF supremo Badruddin Ajmal in Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency.
Political pundits say that Ajmal will face the heat from Congress candidate Abu Taher Bepari who is a former MLA and enjoys a lot of popularity among the Muslim populace.
Political experts also stated that with the Congress party fielding a former minority leader Bepari as its candidate for the Dhubri seat, “the going will be tough for Ajmal”.
Abu Taher Bepari has staunch followers and he being fielded as the Congress candidate for the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat has sent a “wave of excitement” among Congress workers in all the districts under the Dhubri Parliamentary constituency – Dhubri, Hatsingimari and Mankachar and Goalpara.
The Congress top rung leaders have fielded candidates for the Dhubri and Barpeta Lok Sabha seats at the last moment – after a lot of “brainstorming”.
The Congress fielding a “strong candidate” in Dhubri has made hollow the rumours doing the rounds that the party is in a “secret understanding” with the AIUDF.
Abu Taher Bepari is the former MLA from Golakganj constituency and a prominent minority leader. At one point of time, he enjoyed “excellent rapport” with health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Bepari had also joined the saffron party but later he joined back the Congress fold.
Meanwhile, the AIUDF has strongly denied rumours doing the rounds that it has entered into a “secret understanding” with the Congress.
Haidar Hussain Bora, general secretary and spokesperson of AIUDF told media persons, “The BJP is simply cooking up a story that we have entered into a secret understanding with the Congress. The Congress fielding a popular and strong leader for the Dhubri seat has proved that the saffron party is indulging in unnecessary smear campaign.”
Ajmal, while filing his nominations for the Dhubri seat, vehemently denied that his party has anything to do with the Congress.