The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is helping Congress ally AIUDF by fielding some ‘weak candidates’ in key Assembly constituencies, said former Silchar MLA Dilip Kumar Paul.
The former Assam Assembly deputy speaker, who resigned from the BJP after being denied a party ticket, has contested the forthcoming Assembly elections as an independent candidate.
Paul’s comments come a day after sitting Hojai MLA Shiladitya Deb had cautioned the party that “Dilip Paul is a factor and the helicopter has to be grounded.”
Reacting to Deb’s allegations that he tacitly helping the AIUDF Chief by contesting as an independent candidate, Paul said, “I am a staunch Hindu and I stand by that. He too has agreed on this point and remarked that there are no fingers raised on my honesty and integrity.”
He said that there is no question of helping Badaruddin Ajmal or anyone.
“If the BJP was so much concerned about securing the rights of Hindus and Bengali speaking people, they should have fielded strong candidates, particularly in Silchar, Borkhola and Lakhipur constituencies. I have left it to the people of Silchar to decide on my political fate,” Paul said.
Interestingly, responding to the helicopter remark by Deb, Paul questioned whether the legislator from Hojai or BJP is praying for his demise.