Congress candidates to spend time at Dichang resort before counting

Will discuss ways to prevent horse trading: Ripun Bora

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In a development with only nine days left for the declaration of results of the Assembly elections on May 2, as many as 65 Congress candidates on Thursday arrived at Dichang Resort in Sonapur on the city outskirts. This move is being seen as an effort to shield them from any attempt of poaching by the ruling party.

APCC (Assam Pradesh Congress Committee) president Ripun Bora said that a total of 65 party candidates have already checked into the resort. He added that some other candidates would be late in arriving at the resort due to personal problems. He further said that the AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front) candidates would also join their Congress counterparts in the resort.

"The Congress candidates are not taking shelter in the resort out of their fear for horse trading. But, we may discuss the issue of horse trading and evolve ways as to prevent the same. The candidates will have to leave the resort a few days before the counting of votes slated on the May 2 so that they could remain at their respective constituencies on the day of counting," added Bora. When asked about the possibility of horse trading, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Debabrata Saikia said that even though someone might try to resort to such trading, he does not feel that any candidate of the Congress-led grand alliance would be tempted.

"But we have to remain alert as the present politics does not follow any value or ethics. We have been invited to the resort to discuss some party matters," said Saikia.

Former Congress Minister Bishmita Gogoi said, "We have been told that we will undergo an orientation camp in the resort. We have to stay at the resort for four to five days."

Sources in the Congress said the party candidates would be at the resort till April 28. It may be mentioned here that many AIUDF candidates recently flew to a resort at Jaipur in Rajasthan in an apparent bid to escape the horse-trading politics.

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