AGP catches up with Cong in last leg of polls

Nagaon, Apr 9 (UNI) As half of Asom goes to polls tomorrow, the final contours of the Assembly elections are fast emerging with AGP catching up with the Congress everywhere due to split of Muslim votes.

The AGP has turned the table and allowed the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) to spoil the Congress monopoly over the Muslim vote bank sending jitters among the ruling party.

The Congress for the first time has realised that it may not reach half the mark and the AGP camp is getting jubilant claiming sweeping victory on the eve of election. But the real winner is the AUDF.

''It is a fact that Muslim votes have got divided. The AUDF have damaged the Congress. Beside, we have also gone for broader understanding with the tribal organisations and it is now paying off,'' said a confidant Brindaben Goswami, who has been projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate from the AGP.

The tension in Congress camp was evident as Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has not only gone after the AUDF but in fact talked of splitting it after the result to form the next government.

As the second phase of poll will be held mostly in lower Asom, the AUDF has compelled the Congress draw every resource in almost all the constituencies. The Muslims, most of whom are Bangladeshi settlers, have also got attracted to the new party as it is fighting the polls with the single agenda of protecting them.

The Congress had so far been enjoying the support of the Muslims but now the majority votes are getting divided between the AGP and BJP.

But the Congress is still not giving up and in all probability, it will still emerge as the single largest party but party managers like Himanta Biswa Sharma are already into the game of post poll politics which will be the key as prospect of a hung assembly looms large.

The Congress' position has changed as in the first phase, the AGP did exceedingly well and in the lower Asom, Congress has never been comfortable which has given hope to both the AGP and BJP to outmanoeuvre them.

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