In fifteen years, Congress took Assam backwards: Amit Shah

BJP tiol president campaigns in Sivasagar and Sori, appeals for graft-free government

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

SIVASAGAR, March 25: Going hammer and tongs at the ruling Congress for "corruption and misrule", BJP tiol president Amit Shah on Friday said the Tarun Gogoi led-government, during its 15 year rule, neglected the people's welfare and took Assam backwards.

Shah was addressing a rally here at Parag Chaliha Stadium of Sibsagar College near Joysagar. The BJP has fielded Surabhi Rajkonwari against veteran Congress leader and Assam Assembly Speaker Prab Kumar Gogoi from Sivasagar constituency.

Addressing a gathering of nearly 5,000 BJP workers and supporters, Shah said, "People of Assam voted the Congress to power for three consecutive terms. But has the Congress government succeeded in ushering any development to the State? Has the Congress government been able to provide uninterrupted electricity and pure drinking water to each village?"

Shah claimed that after 15 years of Congress rule, 42 per cent of the people of the State are still deprived of pure drinking water while 36 per cent do not have electricity.

Stressing on development of Assam, Shah said the BJP has a focused plan for the development of rural areas in particular and Assam in general.

He said that despite adequate fund flow from the Central government, Assam finds itself at 4th position from the bottom when compared to development in other states. "The Congress government is responsible for Assam's present condition," Shah said.

The BJP tiol president appealed to the people of Assam to vote for his party to bring in development. "The upcoming assembly election is not an election to elect MLAs or ministers. It is an election to give a direction to Assam's future. Vote for the BJP to bring a corruption-free government that can lead the State along the path of progress and development," he appealed.

Shah also claimed that the credit of updating the tiol Register of Citizens and launching of the Brahmaputra Cracker & Polymer Limited (BCPL) project in Dibrugarh goes to the BJP government.

On the communication bottlenecks in Assam, Shah said, "The BJP wants to convert all single rail tracks to double track as we want the State to be developed."

On the perennial floods, the BJP president said, "BJP wants to solve the problem. We are planning to tackle floods in a scientific way, if we are voted to power."

Shah, who was accompanied by Union Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, later took part in a rally at Sori H.S. School field, organized for BJP candidate Tapan Kumar Gogoi. The former AASU general secretary is pitted against Education minister Sarat Borkotoky in Sori LAC.