Ajmal's defeat shows shift in Muslim politics

While people in Assam did keep their fingers crossed for a landslide victory for the BJP-led alliance but very few would have expected that the self-proclaimed kingmaker would himself be vanquished.

AIUDF chief and MP from Dhubri in Assam, Maulana Badaruddin Ajmal lost in his own bastion of South Salmara where he was defeated by Congress candidate Wajed Ali Choudhury.

Almost a decade ago, Ajmal had come to prominence in South Salmara as a “messiah” against social evils and religious fights.

For Ajmal, however, politics was largely a tool to keep his bigger interests and businesses running in Dubai and Mumbai. Hence AIUDF was formed in Assam which gradually spread roots in West Bengal.
The party emerged as the prime opposition party in the present Assembly winning 18 seats but this time around it has been reduced to 13 seats.

Political analysts felt that Ajmal was eying a hung Assembly in the state where he can be the kingmaker, but his most committed voters this time have rejected him. His staggering defeat by 16,000 votes in South Salmara is the biggest surprise of Assam polls. Locals said Ajmal failed to fulfill his promises with almost little or no development in Dhubri district. Villagers said it’s only during elections, Ajmal and his son visited the minority dominated areas of lower Assam. He was also accused of playing minority politics.