By Nurul Islam Laskar, NE Bureau Chief MM,
GUWAHATI, MAY 19: A felicitation dinner for the winner MP candidates of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) at the last Lok Sabha elections was organised by the Central Committee of the party at Hotel Nakshatra in Guwahati on Sunday. A large section of legislators, workers, and well wishers of the party besides the media in full strength were present on the occasion. Jubilation was visible on the faces of party workers as the party had won three parliamentary seats in the State equalling the tally of 150 year old Congress party ruling Assam for over last two decades.
Welcoming the gathering, AIUDF MLA Hafiz Bashir Ahmed Qasimi said the Central Committee was grateful to the Almighty for allowing the party to see such impressive success and thanked the people of Assam who stood behind the policies of AIUDF and extended whole hearted support to it. Representatives of various organisations and party units from across the state welcomed the newly elected MPs – Maulana Badaruddin Ajmal (Dhubri), Radhey Shyam Biswas (Karimganj), and Sirajuddin Ajmal (Barpeta) – with flower bouquets and the traditional Assamese gamosa. Qasimi said, “It was a tough job for Badaruddin to handle the entire burden in the Parliament singlehandedly during the last five years. Now that there are three MPs party, he would find his burden a little lighter this time.”
In their thanksgiving speech, Sirajuddin expressed gratitude to the people in general and the media persons in particular without whose support, according to him, the party would not have achieved this impressive feat. He said, “We pray to the Almighty to give us the ability so that we could serve the people for the purpose for which they have voted us.” On the same notes, Biswas also sought the cooperation and blessings of people to carry on the responsibilities bestowed on them.
The party supremo Badaruddin did not spare the opportunity to castigate the Congress for its ‘anti people policies’, which he said were responsible for the debacle of the party in the recent elections. He specifically mentioned the law and order in BTAD, corruption, mis-governance, rhino poaching and failure to fulfil promises for which the people of Assam were unhappy with the Congress. He even termed the offer of the Assam Chief Minister to resign from his post as ‘drama’.
Later addressing a press meet at the same venue, senior Ajmal was at his jovial best. When a reporter asked him if he would be proposing the name of a family member again when the by-election would take place in the Jamunamukh Assembly seat rendered vacant subsequent to election of his brother Sirajuddin to Lok Sabha. On a lighter vein, the supremo said, “I have attained an age when it is difficult for me to add another member to my family!” However, he added that this matter would get addressed only when the Election Commission issues the notification for the by-election.
Speaking exclusively to Muslim Mirror, after the press meet, Badaruddin disclosed his plans to support a massive education programme in which all the MPs of the party would put everything at stake to ensure that there is 100 per cent literacy in the remote areas of the state. It may be mentioned that Ajmal Foundation, supported by the Ajmal family, runs 18 colleges in the state in addition to many schools and technical institutes.