Gogoi rules out any pre-poll alliance in Assam

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today ruled out any pre-poll alliance with any party for the coming assembly elections in the state but said the Congress was open to "electoral understanding" in some seats.
"We are not for any pre-poll alliance. But we are open for some electoral understanding in some seats," he told reporters here.
Gogoi's statement came a day after Badaruddin Ajmal, chief of AIUDF which has significant base among the state's over 34 per cent Muslim population, made an offer for pre-poll alliance with Congress.
"We don't know what will happen after the elections. But there will be no pre-poll alliance," he asserted.

Asked about his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Gogoi said the Congress vice-president has already made it clear that the Assam unit of the party will take a final decision.
Elections to the 126 member Assam assembly is expected to be held in April-May.
Gogoi, who won a third straight term as Chief Minister in the last elections in 2011, said his idea of political understanding means, if someone does not want to vote for Congress, he or she should vote for any party but not the BJP.
Asked whether the joining of several Congress leaders, including once his most trusted Himanta Biswa Sarma in BJP will affect Congress, he said their switching over to BJP was a "good riddance" for Congress.