AASU yet to decide on support to BJP

GUWAHATI, January 31: The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) is ready to hold talks with any political party with an open mind on the vital issues concerning the people of the State, said the AASU adviser, Samujjal Bhattacharya. However, Bhattacharya asserted that the AASU would maintain its non-political character and would not compromise on the issues concerning the people of the State. Talking to this correspondent, Bhattacharya said that so far the AASU had discussions with different political parties including the Congress, AGP and the BJP on the demands like solution to the influx of foreigners, revision of electoral rolls, scrapping of the IMDT Act, Assam Accord, floods etc. He said that last year an AASU delegation even met the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and had discussion on these issues. "Though the Congress president assured to discuss the matter in the Central Working Committee of the party, but till today we have not seen any result," he added. The AASU adviser, commenting on the reports that the AASU might support the BJP in the ensuing Assembly polls in the State, said that no such decision has yet been taken. He said that the AASU had discussions with senior BJP leaders including the Union Home Minister L K Advani, Kushabhau Thakre, Arun Shourie and others to discuss the issues raised by the students' organisation. Bhattacharya revealed that recently the AASU had three rounds of discussion with the State leadership of the BJP and "the BJP sought our support in the elections". The BJP leaders of Assam also assured the AASU that the demands raised by the AASU would be fulfilled if the BJP is voted to power in Assam. He said that the AASU has not given any commitment to the BJP in this regard and the central executive of the AASU would soon have a detailed discussion on the issue. The AASU adviser said that the students' organisation was fed up with receiving nothing but assurances from the political parties. He said that the AASU had urged upon the BJP leaders to take concrete steps for the solution of the burning problems of the State. He pointed out that till date the BJP-led government at the Centre failed to take concrete steps for the solution of the problem of influx of foreigners into Assam even as the security of the nation as a whole is threatened by the influx. He pointed out that the BJP-led government despite assurances, failed to repeal the controversial IMDT Act or to seal the Assam-Bangladesh border to prevent fresh influx, "We have made it clear to the BJP leadership that we would not think of supporting the BJP in the polls till the BJP-led Central government takes concrete steps for the solution of these problems," he added.