Opposition parties in Assam decide to form anti-BJP front for 2026 Assembly polls
Guwahati: Seven Opposition parties including Congress in Assam on Wednesday decided to form an anti-BJP front for the Assembly elections expected to take place next year.
The parties in the proposed Opposition bloc are the Congress, the Raijor Dal, the Assam Jatiya Parishad, the Anchalik Gana Morcha, the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and the All-Party Hill Leaders’ Conference.
The All India United Democratic Front, which had contested the 2021 polls in seat-sharing arrangements with the Congress, is not part of the bloc, as reported by Deccan Herald. However, sources quoted by the newspaper did not rule out the possibility of a post-poll alliance with Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF.
After a two-hour meeting of the eight-party alliance on Wednesday, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Gaurav Gogoi stated that the coalition had been formed to liberate the people of the state from the "corruption and oppression" of the current government.
"We all had an eagerness to contest the next Assembly elections together in order to free the people of Assam from the harassment, corruption and divisive politics of BJP and Himanta Biswa Sarma government. Today, we have taken that decision to unseat BJP,” DH quoted him as saying.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, downplayed the formation of the new bloc. “Such meetings of Opposition parties and subsequent quarrels among themselves are common. Now that elections are around the corner, we will see more such meetings,” The Hindu quoted the BJP leader as saying.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that BJP is likely to contest the polls in alliance with Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front (BPF).
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RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
