Gogoi moots grand alliance for Assam

BIHAR MODEL TO PREVENT SAFFRON SURGE!

'AIUDF not commul like the BJP, no plans for seat sharing, ready to make first overtures if needed'

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Oct 27: In order to check the BJP juggerut, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is ready to join hands with all ‘secular and non-commul’ political parties like AIUDF, AGP, CPI (M), CPM and Akhil Gogoi’s Ga Mukti Sangram, Assam. Addressing a press conference in Dispur on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said that he is ready to make the first overtures to bring about such a grand alliance, hastening to add that it will not involve any seat sharing.

“I appeal to all political parties to join hands and come together against the commul BJP,” Gogoi said, even as he added, “I have not yet talked to anyone officially in this regard. But if the need arises, I am ready to take the lead and make the first approach.”

He also made it clear that the grand alliance he is hinting at is not at all about seat sharing, “It is clear that I won’t ask anyone for seat arrangement. All parties will contest individually. In order not to allow a commul party to rule the State, all forces should join hands and ensure a secular government,” Gogoi said.

When asked if he thinks AIUDF is a secular party, Gogoi said, “To some extent they are secular. They are at least not commul like the BJP.”

He said the BJP has no grassroots presence in Assam which is why it is relying on leaders ‘imported’ from other parties. “The way the BJP in Assam is making members by hijacking and importing leaders from other parties, it proves they don’t have any roots at all in Assam,” he said.

“When Himanta Biswa Sarma was in the Congress, he was corrupt according to the BJP. But the moment he joined BJP, he became the most honest person,” Gogoi said.

The Chief Minister added, “I admit that bad people are there in the Congress too. But if you look at the rate of adulteration, it is 25 per cent in Congress whereas it is 70 per cent in the BJP.”

Gogoi also took a dig at the BJP for overthrowing the Congress autonomous councils. “They (BJP) initially tried to overthrow my government. But when they failed to do so and realized it is not possible, they are now targeting the autonomous councils.”

A gleeful Gogoi also hailed BJP leader Arun Shourie’s scathing criticism of rendra Modi as the ‘weakest’ Prime Minister India has ever seen.

A day after Shourie said “there was never a weaker PMO than now”, Gogoi said: “I fully agree with Shourie. Modi was so vocal on so many issues in the past. However, when the country is passing through the worst of religious intolerance, why is Modi so silent?”.