Assam: AIUDF former MLA joins Congress, deems it as the only secular party against communalism

Guwahati, November 10, 2017: Abdur Rahim Khan, a former MLA from Barpeta in lower Assam who resigned from All India United Democratic Front joined Congress on Thursday—on a day the Opposition parties stated protest against GST.

Khan had resigned AIUDF saying it was no longer a secular party and joined the Congress saying that it was the only party which can prevent communal forces.

Khan joined at Congress' state headquarters her. He had left Congress in 2004 and formed AIUDF under perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal. Around 300 supporters of Khan also joined the Congress.

In his resignation letter to Ajmal, Khan on Monday had told Ajmal that the party had lost its secular character and that he (Ajmal) runs it in an autocratic manner.

The joining ceremony also followed a press meet AIUDF held this afternoon to counter Khan's Monday accusations.

Benazir Arfan, who had unsuccessfully contested in BJP ticket from Jania constituency in the last assembly election and was sacked by the party for internal conflict, also joined the Congress along with Khan. Arfan said that she was disillusioned with the BJP as there was no respect for women in the party and that it has been doing quite opposite to what it had promised before elections.

APCC president Ripun Bora, former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and senior party leaders Sarat Barkataky, Balin Kuli and Dwijen Sarma were among others who were present at the joining ceremony. Gogoi described the day as an auspicious day as people have left two communal parties to join the Congress.

Gogoi and Bora were arrested by police when they staged a protest in front of a hotel where GST council meeting was underway. Finance Minister Arun Jaitely will join the meeting soon.

TNT News