Guwahati, May 15: The ruling Congress today cautioned six associate members against supporting Assam United Democratic Front-backed Matang Sinh for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats from Assam, which will be put to vote on May 24.

Congress insiders said the party had decided to play an “aggressively neutral” role after ensuring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s victory in one of the two seats. However, once Sinh entered the electoral race on the last day of filing nominations yesterday, the party has got into a “block Matang” mode.

“Since the party whip will not be applicable on the associate members, the top brass has sounded out the latter from associating with Matang Sinh and the AUDF, whose ties with the ruling Congress are anything but cordial. The Independents in the Assembly, on the other hand, have been promised liberal funds if they stay away from Sinh,” a party leader claimed. Sources claimed that the Congress, AUDF and AGP were assiduously wooing the Independents, numbering four, and the six associate members in the 126-member House.

The BJP is meeting on May 22 to decide its future strategy.

Party sources said today that the BJP could not field its candidate Bijay Gupta because an accident at Nongpoh had prevented its Path-erkandi MLA Kartik Sena Sinha from reporting on time to make up the 10 MLAs required to see a nomination through.