GUWAHATI: Ruling BJP in Assam has asked party members to concentrate on the organisation and refrain from talk on alliances and probable party candidates for 2021 assembly. The party said it will take up these issues in January next year.BJP’s general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh held a two-day meeting recently in Guwahati with the core committee as well as office-bearers and reviewed the party’s preparation for the next year’s elections.Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass told ET: “We have asked party workers to concentrate on building and strengthening originations. Issues like alliances, seat-sharing and probable candidates will be taken up in January. We have made clear those who canvass for party tickets now will in no way get tickets.”Assembly elections in Assam is likely to be held early next year. The BJP has launched two separate surveys for selection of candidates for the polls. These surveys are being carried out across the 126 assembly constituencies.Dass said coming up of new political parties will in no way affect the BJP’s poll prospects. “We will go to people on the basis of work done by our government in Assam and at the Centre. Development will be our election plank,” he said.The BJP held its state executive meeting on Friday last week. A senior BJP leader, who did not wish to be identified, told ET: “If the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) tie up, they may gain a couple of seats in Lower Assam. However, in Upper Assam, Northern Assam and middle Assam they will face a rout. We will retain our seats in Barak Valley and hill districts.”
The Congress and the AIUDF are in talks for alliance for the assembly polls and plan to make opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) their main election issue.The BJP is targeting winning more than 100 seats. It has 61 MLAs while its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) had won 14 seats and 12 seats respectively in the 2016 assembly polls.In 2016, the AIUDF had won 13 seats. The Congress had 25 MLAs in 2016, but later one MLA resigned from the Congress, contested from the BJP and won.
