New Delhi: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has given a free hand to the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) to take the final call over alliance with other parties in the State. "The central leadership of the party has full faith in us. They have allowed us to decide on any form of alliance with other parties ahead of the next year's general elections," said APCC president Bhupen Bora to ETV Bharat.
As the next Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to take place next year, the Congress has geared up to give a fresh impetus to the party members. The party is convening its three-day long plenary session at Raipur in Chhattisgarh from February 24 to 26. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) election will also take place during the plenary session. The CWC is the highest decision-making body of the Congress party.
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"At least 50 party members, including PCC members, and district committee members, have been invited to the plenary session. There is every possibility that a detailed discussion over the party's strategy in Assam will also take place in the Raipur convention," Bora said. When asked about any possible alliance with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Bora ruled out such a possibility.
"We can't trust AIUDF. They betrayed us all the time. Whether it is during the presidential election or criticising the BJP government in Assam," claimed Bora. Notably, Congress and AIUDF have an understanding at the Centre. "The central leadership has given us a free hand as far as forming any alliance with AIUDF in Assam," Bora said and added, "There are several other opposition parties in the State with whom we are in constant touch." Assam has 14 Lok Sabha seats and in the 2019 general election, BJP won nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF one and Independents one.
