Guwahati, Jul 31 (IANS):  Assam Trinamool Congress leader Ripun Bora has asserted the ‘one versus one’ formula for upcoming Lok Sabha election to defeat the BJP.

He said, “Defeating the BJP is a primary aim of the opposition parties. That is why our leader Mamata Banerjee has given the nod to align with Congress and other parties. Everyone should focus on limiting the division of opposition votes. Therefore, there should be one opposition candidate against each BJP candidate.”

Meanwhile, Bora also claimed that the Trinamool Congress has gained traction among the voters in Assam.

“Our organisation has gathered strength. We are confident that the Trinamool Congress can win at least four Lok Sabha seats in Assam. The party will demand the alliance to give these seats to Trinamool candidates,” he added.

Meanwhile, Badruddin Ajmal’s All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has been kept out of the 26 parties’ alliance, 'INDIA', however, the party has 15 MLAs in the state assembly.

Aminul Islam, general secretary of AIUDF and an MLA from Mankachar assembly seat told IANS, “For putting up a strong fight against the BJP, we stressed to include AIUDF in the opposition alliance. But it was the Congress party that was hesitant to take us into the alliance.”

He also outlined the reasons behind the Congress party’s resistance. “Congress has lost its base among voters belonging to different communities -- be it Assamese Hindu voters, Tea Tribes, and other communities. Congress is now heavily banking on Muslim votes and that is why they want to finish the AIUDF,” Islam said.

The MLA further claimed that Badruddin Ajmal's popularity is intact and AIUDF is set to win at least three Lok Sabha seats from Assam in the upcoming general elections scheduled in 2024.