Yashwant Sinha to visit Assam; Ajmal may support BJP’s Murmu

Guwahati, July 4 (IANS): Yashwant Sinha, who is the joint Opposition candidate for the upcoming Presidential election, is likely to visit Assam from July 9-11, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Bhupen Borah said on Monday.

“The Congress has already decided to vote for Yashwant Sinha and our party workers will accompany him during his visit to the state,” Borah said.

The Assam Congress has also decided to invite in Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi and CPI-M leader Manoranjan Talukdar to join the campaign for Sinha. However, it is learnt that APCC has not invited any other political party of the state in this campaign spree.

In Assam, the Badruddin Ajmal-led All Indian United Democratic Front (AIUDF) is the second prominent opposition party which has 15 MLAs and one Lok Sabha MP.

Congress had fought last year’s Assembly election by forging an alliance with the AIUDF. But soon after the poll debacle, Congress snapped ties with AIUDF.

Ajmal has already hinted to support NDA’s Presidential nominee, Draupadi Murmu.

Borah has denied having any contact with the AIUDF in this matter.

“Yashwant Sinha can meet anyone and any party leadership can meet him. We have no contact with any other party and whom to meet will be completely his own (Sinha’s) choice,” Borah added.

The Congress has three MPs and 24 MLAs, who have all decided to vote for Sinha.