Guwahati, Jan 13: The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday accused the All Assam Minority Students’ Union of functioning as a “B-team” of the Congress, citing the organisation’s origins and the political trajectories of its leaders.

In a press statement, BJP spokesperson Ranjib Kumar Sarmah said AAMSU was formed on March 31, 1980, at Jaleswar in Goalpara district, allegedly under the initiative of former chief minister Hiteswar Saikia. He claimed the organisation has since worked to advance Congress interests.

Sarmah said several AAMSU leaders, from its founding president Abdul Hainagiri to recently resigned president Rejaul Karim Sarkar, later joined the Congress. He referred to Sarkar’s formal entry into the party on January 11 and said it reinforced the BJP’s allegations.

The BJP also criticised Sarkar’s remarks made after joining the Congress, describing them as communally provocative. Sarmah alleged that Sarkar spoke about changing the demographic character of Upper Assam towns such as Sivasagar, Jorhat and Tinsukia during an event attended by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi.

Reiterating earlier allegations, the BJP accused the Congress of attempting to influence Assam’s demographic composition for electoral gains. Sarmah said AAMSU represents only a section of the minority community and does not speak for all minorities in the state.

The BJP further alleged that AAMSU had campaigned for Congress candidate Tanjil Hussain during the recent Samaguri by-election, and claimed that the Congress was increasingly relying on the organisation for political mobilisation.