No party can form government at Dispur without us: AIUDF

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 13: Questioning the veracity of the slogan coined by the Congress in Assam – Pondhoro bosoror bishax, pondhoro bosoror vikax – the AIUDF has claimed ‘we’re going to be a factor in this year’s Assembly elections, and no party can form the government at Dispur without us’.

Talking to newsmen at its head office at Hatigaon in the city today, AIUDF organizing general secretary Aminul Islam and MLA Rafiqul Islam said: “We’re stick to our stand of going solo in this Assembly election, maintaining equidistance from the commul BJP and the corrupt Congress. And we’re going to field candidates in as many as 60 Legislative Assembly Constituencies (LACs). In the other 66 LACs, we’ll appeal to the voters to exercise their conscience votes. We won’t ally with the Congress. If the Congress wants to win the remaining 66 seats, we’ve nothing to say. However, we do rubbish the media reports that – we’re going to field weak candidates so as to ensure the win of the Congress or the BJP – as baseless. We’re going to be a factor in this Assembly election. Without us, no party form the government at Dispur this time around.”

The two AIUDF leaders said: “The State Congress has coined a slogan – Pondhoro bosoror bishax, pondhoro bosoror vikax – aimed at the Assembly polls in the State. The questions, however, are:  Why are only 15 years? The people of Assam kept their faith on the Congress for the past 60 years. Where’s development in the past 60 years? Where’s faith? Despite keeping on the Congress for the past 60 years, the party betrayed the people. The Congress stabbed the people of Assam in the back. It was during the Congress’ misrule heinous massacres like the that of Nellie, BTAD, Rabha-Garo killings, Bodo-Adivasi clashes, killings at Dhekiajuli, Besimari etc., took place. Is this the reflection of the faith which the Congress generated over the past 60 years? No culprit of the Nellie massacre has been punished as yet, based on the Tiwari Commission’s report. Over the past 60 years of misrule by the Congress the people all of the country were insecure, crimes against women rose manifold and law-and-order mechanism failed. This is the reason why the Congress is on the wane everywhere in the country.”

The two AIUDF leaders further said: “We did want a grand alliance in Assam to stop the BJP juggerut in the State. We were keen to ally with the Congress, the Left parties, the AGP and other regiol forces, but the move failed. However, it has been seen that in States like Delhi, Bihar and the like it was not the Congress but other regiol parties that have stopped the BJP’s march.”

When asked as to why the party is going to field candidates only in 60 LACs against over 70 in earlier Assembly elections in the State, the Islam duo said: “This doesn’t mean that our strength has gone down. In fact, we want to field stronger candidates in LACs where we’ve a good grip.”

“Former family identity cards/ration cards have been replaced with new ones. The earlier cards could be used for various purposes like family identity, home address, opening bank accounts etc. However, in the new cards issued by the Congress government at Dispur, it has been clearly mentioned that such cards can’t be used as family identity in any way. This has created a problem for the common people. This apart, nowadays the Congress government has been issuing such cards almost against each and every member of families against the age-old system of issuing such cards only against the heads of families. This is not all. The new ration cards bear pictures of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. However, the bureaucrats are found to have cut the pictures of the Chief Minister with ink. Is this not an insult to the Chief Minister? He’s not the Chief Minister of the Congress, but of the State,” the two AIUDF leaders said, and added: “Even after making full payment, the fair price shop owners give half a kg of rice less to each ration card holder. How come such a deduction take place?”