“Will Bargain for Muslims from Within”: Sonai MLA Karim Uddin Barbhuiya Set to Join AGP after AIUDF-exit

Sonai MLA Karim Uddin Barbhuiya on Thursday announced that he has resigned from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) ahead of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections.

Barbhuiya, who won the 2021 Assembly elections from the Sonai constituency on an AIUDF ticket, made the announcement through a post on social media. In the post written in Bengali, he said that he had decided to leave the party after discussions with people from different sections of society in the Sonai constituency.

Speaking to the media later, Barbhuiya said he is considering joining the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which is currently a coalition partner of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Assam government. He said being part of the ruling alliance would allow him to raise the concerns of Muslims more effectively.

Explaining his decision, Barbhuiya said he is concerned about the impact of the delimitation exercise on Muslim political representation. According to him, after delimitation there are around 22 Assembly seats with significant Muslim representation. He argued that these seats would have little influence if Muslim MLAs remain scattered across different parties.

He said Muslims need to stay politically connected with those in power in order to ensure their concerns are heard. Barbhuiya added that in a democracy minority opinions often struggle to get priority, and therefore political bargaining becomes necessary.

Referring to issues discussed in minority areas, he mentioned eviction drives and other grievances that are frequently debated within Muslim communities. He said such matters need to be raised through dialogue within the system.

Barbhuiya also predicted that in the upcoming elections the AGP could win at least four seats represented by Muslim candidates. He said his move is aimed at bringing minorities into the mainstream political process and strengthening their ability to negotiate with the government.

Barbhuiya had earlier expressed interest in joining the AGP even before formally resigning from the AIUDF. His exit comes at a time when political realignments are taking place ahead of the next Assembly polls in Assam.

The political developments come amid a series of recent party shifts in Assam. Earlier on Thursday, three-time North Karimganj MLA Kamakhya Dey Purkayastha formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. A few days earlier, senior Congress leader and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Kumar Borah also resigned from the Indian National Congress and joined the BJP.

With Sonai MLA Karim Uddin Barbhuiya now leaving the All India United Democratic Front and expressing interest in joining the Asom Gana Parishad, an ally of the BJP, the state’s political landscape appears to be witnessing significant realignments ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.