GUWAHATI, April 5 - The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) today said that the three-party alliance headed by it is sure of winning from at least 17 constituencies that went to the polls in the first phase and added that the Badruddin Ajmal-led outfit will play the role of kingmaker during formation of the next State Government.
Speaking to reporters here today, AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal and working president Dr Aditya Langthasa said that the AIUDF-JD(U)-RJD alliance is confident of winning at least nine seats in Barak Valley, six in North Bank and two in Upper Assam from among the 65 constituencies that had voted yesterday.
�Both the Congress and the BJP are claiming that they will win 40 seats. Their claims have no basis. In the first phase we will win at least 17 seats. We have achieved a formidable position. People are coming out to vote against the misrule and corruption of the Congress and the divisive agenda of the BJP. Our position will be further consolidated in the second phase,� Dr Langthasa said.
He added that Assam is headed for a hung Assembly and the Congress will not be able to regain power on its own.
�Congress� seats will decline. That of BJP and its allies will go up, but they will be short of majority. BJP and its allies will not get more than 45 seats, while that of Congress will be around 40 seats,� Dr Langthasa said.
Ajmal, on his part, said that the contest in the second phase will be mostly between Congress and the AIUDF.
�Calculations suggest that AIUDF will be the kingmaker (during Government formation),� Ajmal said.
He said that AIUDF is not going to ally with either the BJP or the Congress post-poll, but added that it is ready for a front comprising the AGP and the BPF in case the two parties part company with the BJP.
�People want a non-Congress, non-BJP government� We already have an alliance with JD(U) and RJD. Hagrama has already said that he will go with whoever forms the ministry. And in case of any new alignment, AGP will come into the picture,� Ajmal said.
