Gogoi: Long wait for poll results hampering work

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, May 7: The long gap between polling and counting of votes in the assembly elections is affecting government functioning, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said today, pitching for a change in the election system.

"The long gap between polling and counting has hit government works. In fact, many of the works have come to a standstill. With the backlog of works piling up, the new government will have a tough time coping with the situation," Gogoi said. He said either the Election Commission should declare the results within two/three days of polling or it should withdraw the model code of conduct after polling ends.

Gogoi, however, rejected Prime Minister rendra Modi's suggestion on holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

On price rise of essential commodities, the Chief Minister said the chief secretary and district administrations have been directed to take necessary price control measures.

"We are monitoring the prices of commodities in neighboring states. More or less, the prices are the same. In fact, prices of some commodities in Assam are lesser than in other states," he claimed.

Gogoi said the administration has been asked to publish the wholesale and retail prices of essential commodities in newspapers daily.

While vegetables do not come under essential commodities, the CM said the administration has been asked to devise mechanisms to keep vegetable prices under check.

Lashing out at the NDA government at the Centre, Gogoi said the present dispensation has undermined federalism by making attempts to topple Congress governments in different states. "The Central government has also slashed funds for Congress-ruled states besides reducing various allocations. It has held back flood control funds to the tune of Rs 1,249 crore meant for Assam. However, we have completed the works with funds from our own sources. But unless funds are released by the Centre, we cannot do any further work ahead of the flood season," he said. Reiterating that the Congress will form the next government on its own, Gogoi pooh-poohed Badruddin Ajmal's idea of a Third Front.