Assam BJP in ’problem of plenty’

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, January 17: Back in the day, getting suitable and efficient poll candidates was a problem for the BJP in Assam. However, now the party is in the problem of plenty.

The rush of candidates for BJP tickets for the ensuing civic polls in the State is such that for the ticket of the party in a ward the number of aspirants goes as high as 18/19. The party is facing a harrowing time to choose the right candidates.

This has made it crystal clear that at a time when the Congress is busy on issues like Cabinet expansion, the BJP is busy in preparations for the civic polls.

State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharyya said: “My aim is to root out the Congress in Assam, and the forthcoming civic body election is the right time to make that happen. Back in the day, we had the problem of getting suitable candidates for elections. The problem is quite different now. For the seat of a ward, we have number of party ticket seekers as high as 19. We are facing a harrowing time to choose the right candidates.”

Bhattacharyya, however, warned that no indiscipline would be tolerated in the party. “No anti–party activities during or in the run–up to the polls will be tolerated. Even senior leaders won’t be spared for such activities,” he said, and added that when there were as many as 19 candidates for party ticket in a constituency, the party would give its ticket to only one, and in such events others should not revolt against the party. He said this at a party meeting at Tezpur today when a number of All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) and Congress workers joined the party.