Letters to the Editor: A Landslide Victory

A landslide victory

The landslide victory of the BJP-led NDA in the Assam assembly polls for the third time is commendable. By limiting the Congress to only 19 seats, it once again proved itself as the most preferred choice of the people. And the central force that enabled the party to make their hat-trick in Assam was unambiguously the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarmah. Apart from the welfare steps that helped to pull in the women voters and the developmental measures that made a positive impact, the eviction drives carried out under his leadership fostered the belief of Assamese people that the infiltration issues which remained unheard for long have now been worked out to some extent. His intellectual brilliance enabled him to understand and address the intricacies of social and economic problems of the state. Moreover, his performance not only helped him to outmanoeuvre the allegations of opposition parties but also compelled the people to opt for good governance over everything else. At the same time, by working at the grassroots level, both in rural and urban areas, the party made their presence felt to everyone and tried to transform the perception of contemporary politics from a symbolism-based approach to a performance-based approach. This helped them reach the last voter of an area and earn their support.

And the ignominious shellacking which the Congress has suffered reveals not only a weakness in the leadership but also a shift in the current politics, which rewards a clear agenda, vision and policies over emotional appeal and vague vociferous rhetoric. Its inability to hold the old leaders created a scepticism about its organizational capacity and made the voters inclined towards the BJP, where they see more cohesion inside the party. The biggest dent in the party image came from the defeat of Gaurav Gogoi by a huge margin in Jorhat, exposing the reality that last-moment campaigns cannot bring victories unless sustained effort is there. The once invincible national party is on the verge of extinction today, revealing the fact that dynamism of politics does not allow the continuance of a family-centric ideology for long unless people's demands are heard and met and a connection is set between the common man and the leaders.

Kabir Ahmed Saikia

Rajabari, Jorhat

Need to support startups

Through your newspaper, I would like to highlight the need for better support for startups and young entrepreneurs in Assam. Many young people have innovative ideas but lack proper guidance, funding, and opportunities to start their own ventures. Although schemes like Startup India exist, awareness and access remain limited in cities like Guwahati. More efforts are needed from the government and local businesses to provide mentorship, financial support, and proper platforms for startups. With the right support, youth can become job creators instead of job seekers, which will also boost the state’s economy. I hope the authorities will take necessary steps in this regard.

Sohanee Phukon,

Guwahati

Historic and decisive mandate

The thumping victory for the BJP-led NDA in the Assam Assembly election is a significant achievement for the ruling alliance, marking their third consecutive term in Dispur and ensuring a stable government in the state. The way the NDA hurricane blew Congress-led opposition heavyweights away from the electoral scenario in Assam has shocked everyone. No doubt, the credit for this historic and decisive victory of the party goes to the most dynamic and visionary CM, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, under whose leadership today Assam is undoubtedly marching towards a golden era. At the same time we must be thankful to the PM for his unwavering commitment to the rapid development of Assam and the Northeast states. The timely editorial 'A mandate, both historic and decisive', published in your esteemed daily, has rightly highlighted that the BJP coming to power in the neighbouring state has strategic importance to plug the critical gap through which Bangladeshi infiltrators sneak into West Bengal and then migrate and settle in Assam. Now, the urgent task of the new BJP-led ruling coalition is to expedite the expulsion process of illegal Bangladeshi migrants without resorting to time-consuming legal processes. The Assam we see today is unlocking far greater potential. The responsibility of the new government is to strengthen each project as it represents milestones in the state's modern development journey. Let us stand together and extend our sincere cooperation with initiatives of the new government based on the principles of steadfast (atal), unwavering (avichal) and forward-looking (agragami) to carry our beautiful state forward with the same global vision once demonstrated by great leaders like Kumar Bhaskar Verma.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.

Traffic chaos in Tezpur

The volume of traffic in Tezpur town has seen an exponential increase in recent years, which has been made worse by the countless e-rickshaws and pick-up trucks that ply the roads at all times. Coupled with narrow roads and lack of parking space, driving in Tezpur is a nightmare, especially in the main market area, with parked vehicles taking up two-thirds of the main road, leaving only a narrow passage for traffic to pass through. In some areas the roads have been made narrower by the roadside vendors and food stalls, causing a chaotic situation. Moreover, haphazard parking of e-rickshaws and two-wheelers at street corners results in bottlenecks obstructing the free flow of traffic.

The traffic problem in Tezpur needs to be addressed urgently by the district administration and the traffic department by providing designated parking spaces for vehicles and strictly monitoring the traffic situation and penalising traffic violations. Moreover, the footpaths should be cleared by removing and relocating the numerous hawkers, vendors and food stalls which hinder easy movement of pedestrians. Hope early action in the matter will restore the charm and glory of a beautiful town like Tezpur.

Dilip Kumar Sarma,

Tezpur.

New episode,

new hope

Through your esteemed daily, I would like to congratulate all the newly elected MLAs. The people of Assam have given you one more chance. Now it's your turn to serve them so that they can live in a healthy and prosperous atmosphere. In the last tenure we saw many good initiatives taken by the government, like banning child marriage and taking action against drug pedlars. This type of action is always welcome, as it creates a healthy society. We hope this time also you will try to solve some such issues of public interest rather than creating crowds of beneficiaries. We are not totally against beneficiary schemes, as a section of people definitely need them, but making beneficiary schemes should not be the sole motive of the government. Last but not least, as a resident of Guwahati, it is my ardent request to the government to take some measures to make Guwahati waterlogging- or flood-free.

Chinmayee Devi

Kalyani Nagar, Kahilipara.