Assam: AAP withdraws candidate from Guwahati, demands from Congress to withdraw 2 candidates

Guwahati: The Aam Aadmi Party withdrew its candidate from Assam's Guwahati Lok Sabha seat and demanded that Congress withdraw their candidates from Sonitpur and Dibrugarh.
Earlier, on February 8, AAP MP Sandeep Pathak announced that AAP candidate Manoj Dhanohar will contest from Dibrugarh, Bhaven Chaudhary from Guwahati and Rishi Raj from Sonitpur.
The Congress has named alliance partner Lurinjyoti Gogoi, President, Assam Jatiya Parishad as the candidate from Dibrugarh, while Prem Lal Ganju is the candidate from Sonitpur.
There are 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam. In 2019, BJP won 9 seats with a vote share of 36.4 per cent, while Congress won 3 seats with a vote share of 35.8 per cent. AIUDF won 1 seat, and and Indpendent won 1 seat in Assam.
In a letter written to the President, of the United Opposition Forum, AAP Asam President Bhaben Choudhury stated, "Aam Aadmi Party has decided to make the highest sacrifice to avoid division of votes in the opposition unity. The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of AAP has decided not to contest the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat."
On February 28, the Aam Aadmi Party reiterated that the party will contest three seats in Assam in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and it will help the INDI alliance in the other 11 seats in the state, said Aam Aadmi Party, North Eastern States incharge.
Rajesh Sharma, In-charge, of AAP (North Eastern States) said that AAP has already declared its candidates for Guwahati, Sonitpur and Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seats in Assam.
"...We also challenge the Congress party and United Opposition Forum to reciprocate our gesture by withdrawing its candidate from Sonitpur and Dibrugarh Loksabha seat. Else it will be clear that the Congress party has done a setting with BJP and is fighting only to make sure BJP wins. People of Assam will not accept this." the letter further read.
"The 2024 Lok Sabha election is a historic election in the country. This election is to save India's democracy. On the one hand, there is the BJP which wants to destroy democracy in the country. These people do not believe in the Constitution, they do not believe in independent institutions like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission and their only objective is to eliminate the opposition. This is why the Aam Aadmi Party became part of the INDI Alliance with only one objective -- to defeat the BJP, everything else comes after that. It doesn't matter whether we get some seats more or less; It is important that the party or candidate who can defeat the BJP gets the ticket," the letter said.
Assam's AAP chief said that the people of Assam want the opposition to remain united, only then we will be able to defeat the BJP.
"Aam Aadmi Party have decided to make the highest sacrifice to avoid division of votes in the Opposition unity. The Political Affairs Committee (PAC, of AAP has decided not to contest the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat. As you know, the Aam Aadmi Party won the second-highest number of votes in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation elections after the BJP. However, to avoid splitting the votes of the opposition, we have decided not to contest the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat.
"We also challenge the Congress party and the United Opposition Forum to reciprocate our gesture by withdrawing its candidates from the Sonitpur and Dibrugarh Loksabha seats. E. it will be clear that the Congress party has done a setting with 80 and is fighting only to make sure (UP wins. The people of Assam will not accept this." Bhaben Chouditury State President, Aam Aadmi Party, Assam, said in the letter.
There are 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam. In the 2014 general elections, the BJP had won 9 seats, INC won 3, AIUDF bagged 1, and IND won 1.