Guwahati: With All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) dropping out of the race in 5 Lok Sabha seats, Congress has gone on an overdrive to wash its hands off any association with the party.“Even if AIUDF does not field candidates beyond these three seats, it won’t help Congress. The party’s popularity has been going down, evident in the recent panchayat election,” said former chief minister and Congress veteran Tarun Gogoi, adding that AIUDF is trying to come closer to Congress only to “save its sinking ship” in minority pockets. AIUDF had earlier said it would contest eight seats but announced on Monday that it would fight in only three.While AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal has, time and again, expressed a desire to join hands with Congress to keep BJP at bay, several Congress leaders in Assam, including former chief minister Tarun Gogoi continue to refute any understanding with the AIUDF ahead of the Lok Sabha election.Congress workers, however, are not so sure. A Congress insider said AIUDF’s decision may have come after a discussion at the national leadership level.“The two parties (Congress and AIUDF) might have some understanding in New Delhi in view of the Lok Sabha election. From APCC, we have always opposed understanding with AIUDF and was not in favour of joining an alliance with them,” a Congress source said.AIUDF is part of the anti-BJP coalition led by the Congress at the national level.While the AIUDF said that they decided to field candidates only in three Lok Sabha seats in Assam in order to prevent division of anti-BJP votes, sources in Assam Congress said that spirit in high among the Congress workers in Dhubri, Barpeta and Karimganj, who are optimistic to bring back the three constituencies from the hands of AIUDF. The AIUDF has fielded candidates from the Dhubri, Barpeta and Karimganj seats, where the Congress is also going to contest the polls.“We are going to contest in the Lok Sabha polls from all 14 seats as per the directive of the AICC. Assam Congress has not been informed by the AICC on any alliance with the AIUDF officially. In fact, AICC has already clarified before us that in case of any poll understanding or alliance with any party, the state committee of the party will decide,” the source added.Congress in the state has been accusing AIUDF and BJP for polarizing voters on religious lines.

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