Guwahati: The opposition camp saw fresh churn on Sunday after Sherman Ali Ahmed, Congress ally Raijor Dal’s near-finalised pick for minority-dominated Mandia in Barpeta district, surfaced as a Trinamool Congress candidate even before formally quitting the party.About two hours before Sherman bagged a TMC ticket, Raijor Dal unveiled a final list of 12 nominees for the Apr 9 assembly polls, dropping Sherman, after Congress announced former Barpeta Lok Sabha MP Abdul Khaleque as its nominee from the seat.Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi said there was no option but to deny Sherman a ticket for the sake of opposition unity under the Congress alliance. Sherman was earlier suspended from Congress and was vocal against Assam PCC president Gaurav Gogoi.Sherman did not fault Akhil, saying the Raijor Dal chief fought “till the end” to secure him a nomination. He instead targeted Congress functionary Debabrata Saikia, alleging the latter had put in writing that he would resign if Sherman was fielded from Mandia, even in a friendly contest. Sherman also alleged that Lurinjyoti Gogoi of ally Assam Jatiya Parishad also wrote to the alliance threatening to quit over his candidature.“I am a resident of Assam. While going to raise my voice for 34% of the people (Muslims) of the state, no political party of Assam accepted me. That’s why, with a heavy heart, I joined TMC after Assam’s own political parties isolated me,” Sherman said.Sherman was first elected as an AIUDF MLA in 2011 from Baghbar and later switched to Congress and won again in 2016 and 2021. He will now contest from Mandia on a TMC ticket. TMC sources said the party looks to expand its base in the minority-dominated belt of lower Assam by supporting Sherman.Sherman thanked TMC supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and senior party leaders for giving him a ticket within just two hours of his communication with the party leadership.On Sunday, TMC announced candidates in seven more seats, including Sherman. The party now has 26 candidates in the fray for the Assam assembly polls.“Just five minutes after I took electronic membership of TMC, the party bestowed so much faith on me and gave me a ticket. I am grateful to TMC,” Sherman said.Congress nominee Khaleque hit back, saying Sherman had remained loyal to no party. “AIUDF made him MLA but suspended him. Congress made him MLA but again suspended him. Raijor Dal did not even nominate him. Sherman has done such works which can help BJP,” Khaleque alleged, adding Sherman had long opposed Congress ideology and communal harmony.
