AAMSU to contest in 28 seats

GUWAHATI, April 10: The All Assam Minorities Students' Union (AAMSU) has decided to jump into the electoral fray in the Assembly polls next month alleging that no other political party has been able to secure the interests of the minority people till date. AAMSU president Shamsul Haque announced here this morning that the union would be putting up candidates in as many as 28 constituencies all over State during the elections. It was time the minorities took hold of the situation rather than waiting for others to do the job, he said while addressing a news conference. Claiming that all parties in the State, including the Congress, the AGP, the BJP and even the United Minorities Front (UMF), have 'betrayed' the minorities, Haque said that the AAMSU-supported candidates would be decided during the convention that was planned to be held here on April 18. 'There would be no alliance with anyone,' he said. Haque accused the parties of raising only 'ready-made' issues to secure the votes of the minorities. 'All of them have been trying to use the minorities,' he said. He said that the controversial IMDT Act, char patta, the voters' list, problems of flood-effected people, social equity would be the main issues that the union would raise during electioneering. He said that the AAMSU, which was born as an apolitical outfit, has been forced to resort to politics as it realised that almost all socio-economic problems faced by the minorities could be solved only through political means. Claiming that his organisation was the 'true' AAMSU, He claimed that the other factions of the union were propped up by political rivals.