Congress humbled in Jamunamukh

Guwahati, Nov 09 (UNI) The Asom United Democratic Front(AUDF) forced the Congress to lick the dust as they successfully retained the Jamunamukh constituency even as the Congress exhausted its every resource to clinch it.

Amidst uninterrupted allegation of misuse of government machinery, and money power beside throwing the entire Tarun Gogoi ministry behind the Jamunamukh bypoll, the Congress today could not unsettle the citadel of AUDF supreme Badaruddin Ajmal as he got his brother elected from the seat without much hiccups.

When the counting ended today, the difference was 13,424, huge by any standard.

Baddaurddin's brother Sirajuddin Ajmal, another millionaire businessmen, got 58,303 votes in comparison to Congress candidate Khaliur Rahman Choudhry's 44,884 votes.

''This is a victory of democracy. This is victory of good over evil'' said a beaming AUDF Secretary general H R A Chaudhury. ''The Congress did everything possible under the sun. The Chief Minister came thrice for campaigning. Half of the ministry has been camping for one month and the constituency have been flooded with money and promise. But I am thankful that people of Jamunamukh have withstood all these'' said Mr Chaudhury.

The Congress have been constantly accused of using the government machinery to ensure Mr Ajmal's defeat. In the initial round of counting there was some competition but after the eight round of counting the gap widened and eventually it became very easy.

The Congress leaders who were busy for the past one month to win the seat, were blaming internal squabble for the defeat.

The Congress in a major coup literally 'hijacked' AGP candidate and two time MLA Khaliur Rahman Chaudhury just three days before the last date of filing of nomination. This caused real problem both in the AGP and the Congress camp.

The AGP camp literally vanished and they got just 2000 votes this time while the Congress old timers deserted the party for bringing an outsider to the party just 72 hours before poll.

This is the first major humiliating loss that the Congress faced in the past four years. They have not lost not any election since the Khumtai by- election in the previous Government. The bypoll was necessitated as Mr Ajmal was elected from two constituencies and he vacated his home constituency and brought in his younger brother.

''This is a response against Congress goondagiri. They used everything in their disposal to win the seat but Jamunamukh answered them with our win,'' said Badaruddin Ajmal. He vowed to develop the constituency from his own money.

UNI MT KK KLC1722