NEW DELHI, Nov 30 - The All India Congress Committee will take the final call on the proposal for forging an alliance with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday conveyed to the Assam Congress leadership.
The AICC on Monday held a discussion with the Assam Congress leaders via video-link, in what is being seen as a stocktaking exercise. The meeting chaired by Gandhi was joined by AICC general secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik, Ambika Soni, KC Venugopal and Jitendra Singh among others.
Assam Congress president Ripun Bora, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, Rakibul Hussain, Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev, MPs Gaurav Gogoi, Pradyut Bordoloi and Abdul Khaleque, and AICC secretaries Rana Goswami and Bhupen Bora among others.
According to sources, Bora informed the party�s central leaders that they have decided to forge an alliance with the AIUDF. He requested the party high command to take a decision on the alliance at the earliest.
However, Gandhi told him that the AICC will take a call on the alliance at an �appropriate time� as there was still enough time for the Assembly election in Assam.
Bora also sought help in terms of funds for the elections, only to be told by the central leadership that the AICC will arrange for it like in other BJP-ruled states. He also advocated that sitting MLAs should be given preference during the allocation of party tickets.
Venugopal, meanwhile, said that the AICC was disappointed that the state party leadership was not able to rein in some of its MLAs, sources said.
Gandhi also advised the Assam Congress leaders to remain alert against speaking to the media out of turn. The party should use the media and not the other way around, he suggested.
Sources said that Gandhi pointed to some recent fiasco over media statements by the Assam Congress leaders and asked Bora to control such utterances to the media by his party men.
The sources said that the meeting went off well and the state leaders gave their individual feedback to the AICC leaders. The meeting also discussed the strategy for the Assembly polls. The sources said the AICC leadership was also wary of the ruling BJP�s attempts to polarise the electorate ahead of the polls.