Badruddin Ajmal’s All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), once a dominant voice for Muslim minorities in Assam, has witnessed a dramatic decline in political standing, dropping from 16 assembly seats to just two. This shift reflects significant changes in the political landscape, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making substantial gains and the Congress party consolidating its support.
Ajmal, a 70-year-old businessman and politician known for his family-owned fragrance brand, Ajmal Perfumes, made a comeback after a defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Dhubri, managing to secure victory in Binnakandi, Hojai. Mazibur Rahman retained his seat in Dalgaon. Nevertheless, the party faced collapse in lower Assam and the Barak Valley, despite witnessing over 90% voter turnout in constituencies with significant Muslim populations.
This increase in voter participation did not benefit the AIUDF; instead, the Muslim electorate largely flocked to Congress, which captured most seats with high Muslim demographics. Key constituencies like Dhubri, Gauripur, Mankachar, Jaleswar, Chenga, and Samaguri overwhelmingly supported Congress, particularly in areas with electorates exceeding 95% Muslim representation.
Political analyst Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury attributed this decline to leadership decisions and public perception. “Ajmal could have projected someone else. A man who cannot walk properly became a candidate. It signals they want to keep the party confined to family,” he stated.
AIUDF members pointed to poor candidate selection and a lack of alliance with Congress, in contrast to their partnership in 2021, as significant drawbacks. Rahman, while celebrating his retention in Dalgaon, described the overall outcome as a defeat for the opposition, expressing disappointment over Gaurav Gogoi’s loss in the chief ministerial race, although he credited his own victory to local development efforts.
The AIUDF was established in 2005 after the Supreme Court annulled the Illegal Migrants Determination by Tribunal Act (IMDT Act), positioning itself as a representative of Bengali-speaking Muslims. However, with no MPs and only two MLAs currently, the party’s future appears uncertain.
