On Assam's Muslim Vote, A Startling Claim From Congress's Tarun Gogoi

The crucial Muslim vote in Assam will not go to the Badaruddin Ajmal-led AlUDF but to the Congress, the state's three-time chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has claimed. The former Chief Minister's startling claim comes two days ahead of the crucial second phase of the general elections, when five of Assam's 14 seats go to polls.
"Muslims in Assam have realised that it Congress can ensure them their rights, and in some time even the linguistic minorities (the Bengali-speaking Hindus) will also come to our fold," Mr Gogoi told NDTV.
Muslims comprise around 35 per cent of Assam's electorate and four of its 14 Lok Sabha seats are Muslim majority. In 2014, Badruddin Ajmal's party had won three of those four seats, the last had gone to the Congress/BJP
Barring the tribal dominated autonomous district Lok Sabha seat, the Muslim voters hold the key in four other constituencies - Silchar and Karimganj in south Assam and Mangaldoi and Nagaon in central Assam. Election on all four seats will be held on April 18.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV on the last day of campaigning today, Mr Gogoi hinted that recapturing the Muslim votebank in Assam is key to the Congress strategy.
Initially, Assam's Muslims were a part of the Congress's voter base, but they have slowly drifted towards the perfume baron's party since it was formed in 2005. His staunchest support base are the Bengali-speaking Muslims.

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