Congress shifts Assam candidates to Rajasthan due to 'Sarma' fear

The Congress has shifted at least 18 candidates of the party-led Mahajot in the Assam polls to party-ruled Rajasthan, after getting information that the BJP may try to to lure probable winners ahead of counting on May 2.

The Congress feels that the BJP will fall short of majority and its eyes are on probable winners of the Bodoland People's Front and the All India United Democratic Front, since one BPF candidate had already shifted to the BJP ahead of polls and withdrawn from the contest.

Assam Minister and top BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has been in Congress, is believed to be in the forefront of such efforts, having on Friday, now claimed that his party would get around 84 seats against the earlier target of 100 plus in the 126-member Assembly, but definitely retain power.

But, the Congress itself estimates that it has surged ahead of the BJP and difference between the two alliances may be less than 6 seats, and thus, the BJP is making such attempts.

The Congress was unable to form governments in Manipur and Goa despite being the single largest party and later saw many MLAs defect to BJP.The Congress has been blaming the BJP for "manufacturing" majorities in states where it fall short of the magic numbers.

The party is wary of Sarma's relationships across party lines. Many AIUDF candidates have a good rapport with him, sources said. It is to forestall such attempts that the candidates have been sent across the country.

--IANS

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