In a dramatic political development, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has announced that its incarcerated legislator, Aminul Islam, will contest the upcoming 2026 Assam legislative assembly elections from behind bars if he is not released by then. The declaration was made by party chief Badruddin Ajmal on Wednesday, setting the stage for a high-stakes electoral battle.
The Arrest and Charges
Aminul Islam, the three-term MLA from Assam's Dhing constituency, was initially arrested on April 24, 2025 from his residence in Nagaon district. His arrest followed statements made at a political rally where he suggested that the Pahalgam terror attack in April was a "conspiracy" by the central BJP government.
Authorities invoked Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against him, which deals with "acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India" - a provision similar to the sedition law under the previous Indian Penal Code. Islam was notably the first among at least 97 individuals arrested across Assam in a state government campaign targeting "Pakistan supporters" through their social media posts following the terror attack.
Legal Journey and Continued Incarceration
In a significant legal development, Islam secured bail in the case from a Nagaon court on May 14, just three weeks after his initial arrest. However, in a dramatic turn of events, he was immediately detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on the same day he received bail, and he has remained in jail since then.
What makes this situation particularly noteworthy is that initially, his own party, the AIUDF, which draws its primary support from Assam's Bengali-origin Muslim community, had refrained from extending support to him following his NSA detention.
Political Standoff and Election Strategy
The AIUDF's position has undergone a complete reversal. Party president Badruddin Ajmal, while addressing reporters on Wednesday, launched a strong defense of his jailed colleague. "Aminul Islam has been in jail for the last eight months. He has been kept in jail with NSA charges as part of a conspiracy," Ajmal asserted.
He vehemently argued that Islam's actions didn't warrant NSA charges, pointing to the fact that he had secured bail in the original case within weeks. "The offence he had been arrested for, he got bail within weeks. After that, he was jailed under the NSA. There is political motivation behind this," Ajmal claimed.
The AIUDF chief didn't mince words when outlining their contingency plan. "If even after that the government does not let him go... Congress is the one which wants this man in jail. Their candidate who wants to contest from this seat wants him to remain in jail. In past elections, we have seen jailed candidates winning. If we are bound to, Aminul will contest the elections from jail," he declared.
Ajmal also confirmed that the party would continue to pursue legal avenues for Islam's release while preparing for the electoral possibility of a candidate campaigning from prison.
Broader Political Context
This development occurs against the backdrop of significant political realignments in Assam. The AIUDF, which currently has 15 members in the 126-member assembly making it the third-largest party, has been excluded from Congress-led efforts to form a regional alliance for next year's crucial elections.
In what appears to be a strategic countermove, Ajmal revealed his interest in exploring a potential front with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which currently doesn't have a political presence in Assam. He announced plans to meet AIMIM leaders next month to discuss this possibility.
However, the AIMIM had already issued a statement on Tuesday clarifying that "Neither has AIMIM decided to start operations in Assam, nor enter into alliance with any party in the state," potentially complicating AIUDF's alliance calculations.
The stage is now set for a politically charged contest in Dhing constituency, with the possibility of Assam witnessing the rare instance of a candidate contesting and potentially winning an election while remaining incarcerated.
