<p>The Congress' plan to have a "grand alliance" of all anti-BJP parties in Assam is set to face a setback as two newly formed regional parties rejected the offer and are likely to forge an alliance among themselves to contest the Assembly elections slated in April-May together.</p>.<p>Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) led by Lurinjyoti Gogoi, former All Assam Students' Union (AASU) leader and Raijor Dal led by jailed farmers' leader Akhil Gogoi came into being following the anti-CAA agitation in December 2019, which turned violent. Scrapping the CAA is one of the major polls planks of the two regional parties. Akhil is in jail since the agitation and is facing sedition charge.</p>.<p>"Since the beginning, our stand is clear: we will try to unite all regional forces and maintain distance from the national parties. We are firm on this and so we have decided to form an alliance with Raijor Dal. An agreement in this regards will be signed very soon," AJP president, Lurinjyoti Gogoi told reporters in Guwahati.</p>.<p>The Congress, which is opposed to the CAA and was one of the frontal organisations in the anti-CAA agitation, proposed that all parties opposed to the act must join hands and form a "grand alliance" to defeat the BJP and its allies in the next Assembly elections. The Congress wants Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF, Left parties and all other regional forces (including AJP and Raijor Dal) to be part of the "grand alliance."</p>.<p>The Congress has already finalised the details for the alliance with AIUDF and is waiting for the high command's nod to the proposal. But many here say the alliance would not succeed without the support of AJP and Raijor Dal. "If these two parties contest the elections without having the alliance with the Congress, this would lead to fragmentation of the anti-CAA votes. This will finally help the BJP and its regional allies," political analyst Akhil Ranjan Datta said recently.</p>.<p>The BJP and its allies, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF), which wrested power from the Congress in 2016 have already set a target of 100 plus seats in the next polls. The BJP will renew its alliance with the AGP and has chosen the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) as its new ally in place of the BPF.</p>.<p>The BJP and UPPL formed the new Bodoland Territorial Council, elections for which was held in December.</p>
<p>The Congress' plan to have a "grand alliance" of all anti-BJP parties in Assam is set to face a setback as two newly formed regional parties rejected the offer and are likely to forge an alliance among themselves to contest the Assembly elections slated in April-May together.</p>.<p>Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) led by Lurinjyoti Gogoi, former All Assam Students' Union (AASU) leader and Raijor Dal led by jailed farmers' leader Akhil Gogoi came into being following the anti-CAA agitation in December 2019, which turned violent. Scrapping the CAA is one of the major polls planks of the two regional parties. Akhil is in jail since the agitation and is facing sedition charge.</p>.<p>"Since the beginning, our stand is clear: we will try to unite all regional forces and maintain distance from the national parties. We are firm on this and so we have decided to form an alliance with Raijor Dal. An agreement in this regards will be signed very soon," AJP president, Lurinjyoti Gogoi told reporters in Guwahati.</p>.<p>The Congress, which is opposed to the CAA and was one of the frontal organisations in the anti-CAA agitation, proposed that all parties opposed to the act must join hands and form a "grand alliance" to defeat the BJP and its allies in the next Assembly elections. The Congress wants Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF, Left parties and all other regional forces (including AJP and Raijor Dal) to be part of the "grand alliance."</p>.<p>The Congress has already finalised the details for the alliance with AIUDF and is waiting for the high command's nod to the proposal. But many here say the alliance would not succeed without the support of AJP and Raijor Dal. "If these two parties contest the elections without having the alliance with the Congress, this would lead to fragmentation of the anti-CAA votes. This will finally help the BJP and its regional allies," political analyst Akhil Ranjan Datta said recently.</p>.<p>The BJP and its allies, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF), which wrested power from the Congress in 2016 have already set a target of 100 plus seats in the next polls. The BJP will renew its alliance with the AGP and has chosen the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) as its new ally in place of the BPF.</p>.<p>The BJP and UPPL formed the new Bodoland Territorial Council, elections for which was held in December.</p>
