Lok Sabha Elections 2024: AAP withdraws Guwahati nominee, pressures Congress to pull out from Sonitpur, Dibrugarh

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls 2024, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday withdrew its candidate from the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat and further demanded that Congress pull out their candidates from Sonitpur and Dibrugarh seats in Assam.

It is to be noted that earlier on March 12, the Congress released a list of 12 candidates for Assam for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The party is contesting 13 out of 14 seats, reserving one for its ally, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP).

This list encompasses the three seats for which AAP had previously declared their candidates a month prior: Guwahati, Sonitpur, and Dibrugarh. Party MP Gaurav Gogoi will contest from Jorhat while MP Pradyot Bordoloi will contest from his seat of Nagaon. Lurinjyoti Gogoi, President, of Assam Jatiya Parishad will contest in alliance with the Congress from Dibrugarh.

Also Read: 'Tired of talking with INDIA bloc': AAP declares candidates for 3 Lok Sabha seats in Assam

In an official release, AAP expressed displeasure towards the Congress party over seat-sharing and alleged, "We (AAP) were told that a solution would be found, but, when the Congress announced its candidates for all the seats in Assam on March 12. We are totally in shock by this approach of Congress, will it not be helping the BJP by dividing the votes? Will it not help BJP?”

AAP added that the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of AAP has decided not to contest the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat, by stating that the Aam Aadmi Party won the second-highest number of votes in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation elections after the BJP. “To avoid splitting the votes of the opposition, we have decided not to contest the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat.”

The party further challenged the Congress, and said, “We also challenge the Congress party and United Opposition Forum to reciprocate our gesture by withdrawing its candidate from Sonitpur and Dibrugarh Loksabha seat. Else it will be clear that the Congress party has done a setting with BJP and is fighting only to make sure BJP wins. People of Assam will not accept this.”

Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Which BJP candidate is fighting against which Congress leader? Here's your guide

AAP further slammed PM Modi-led government and said, “On the one hand, there is the BJP which wants to destroy democracy in the country. These people do not believe in the Constitution, they do not believe in independent institutions like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission and their only objective is to eliminate the opposition.”

Also Read: AAP announces 5 Lok Sabha poll candidates for Delhi, Haryana; Jal Board vice chairman Somnath Bharti on list

Meanwhile, the Congress in Assam is likely to face potential turmoil as PTI reported citing sources that Abdul Khaleque, the current Member of Parliament representing the Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency, may step down due to discontent with the party.

Notably, Khaleque was not granted the Lok Sabha ticket by the Congress; instead, the party allocated his seat to Deep Bayan, the President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Sevadal.

(With inputs from agencies)