'First division' scorer Gogoi to fight last poll battle

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, March 17: Seeking to lead the Congress to its fourth consecutive win in Assam, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today announced that the upcoming assembly polls will be his last poll battle. "This will be my last elections. The people have supported me for so many years and I will appeal them to support me once again," the 79-year-old Congress leader said.

The Chief Minister, however, admitted that he has not been able to keep all his promises made to the people.

"I must admit, I have not been able to keep all my promises. But I have been trying my best," he said. Asked to rate his performance, the three-time CM said, "I may not have scored 100 per cent. But I have surely passed in first division."

Gogoi also attacked BJP's chief ministerial candidate Sarbanda Sonowal and dared him to make public how much money he had given for the development of Majuli from his Member of Parliament's Local Area Development Fund.

Dubbing Sonowal as a "puppet" in the hands of the saffron party, Gogoi said the Lakhimpur MP had lost the important Skill Development ministry as he could not live up to PM rendra Modi's assessment. Gogoi also questioned what steps the BJP has taken to deport detected foreigners from the State after promising a "foreigner-free Assam" during the Lok Sabha election campaign.