Assam: PM Modi to inaugurate bridge, projects on his Feb 14 visit

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on February 14 to inaugurate several major projects, including the Guwahati-North Guwahati bridge, and address Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in a rally in Guwahati, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday. This will be the Prime Minister’s third visit to the poll-bound state in less than three months.

According to the Chief Minister, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Kumar Bhaskar Varman Bridge over the Brahmaputra, connecting Guwahati and North Guwahati. He will also open the temporary campus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Guwahati and hand over 100 electric buses funded by the Centre to the Assam government.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to participate in a major election-related rally at Khanapara, which will see the attendance of booth-level workers and party officials from across the state. Depending on his schedule, he may also visit Dibrugarh in Upper Assam.

The Chief Minister made the announcements following the launch of the BJP’s video vans as part of a pre-poll outreach campaign. The vans will travel across the state ahead of the Assembly elections to engage with various sections of society.

On the issue of toll collection at the new Guwahati–North Guwahati bridge, the CM dismissed allegations that all vehicles would be charged. He clarified that toll fees would apply only to trucks and buses and criticized what he termed as misinformation being spread to create public anxiety.

The Chief Minister also addressed the seat-sharing arrangement within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming 126-member Assam Assembly elections. He said discussions with ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) were in the final stage and the formula would be announced soon. There has been speculation that the BJP may allocate fewer seats to the AGP compared to the 2021 elections.

Continuing his attack on the Congress, Sarma accused the party of engaging in “misinformation-driven” politics and attempting communal consolidation. Referring to a recent Congress programme in Rangia, he alleged that it resembled a religious gathering rather than a political event.

On eviction drives in Guwahati’s hill areas, the Chief Minister assured that indigenous Assamese people would not be evicted. He stated that action would be taken only against illegal settlers and claimed that false narratives were being deliberately circulated.

Sarma further indicated that details regarding alleged links of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi with Pakistan-related power projects would be made public soon.

Referring to the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), the Chief Minister described the institution as being involved in fraudulent practices and advised students and parents to exercise caution. The Chief Minister asserted that the institution and its chancellor were facing multiple cases related to alleged fake certificates and cheating.

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