Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said he is confident of scoring a hat-trick by returning to power after the Assembly elections in April. "This time we will certainly cross the half-way mark by getting around 64 seats," he told a group of visiting journalists at his residence here. Congress, led by Gogoi who is ruling the state for 10 years, has 54 seats in the present Assembly and is supported by the Bodoland People's Front.
On terrorism affecting the state's development, the Chief Minister said insurgency has failed to stem the growth process and with further progress the terror threat will be wiped out. "Normalcy in the state will come with the development only," he asserted and said development is a major poll-plank this time. He also refuted charges of corruption against him and his government.
The Congress leader said in his next term the priorities will be employment-oriented education, skill development of skills and law and order. Gogoi also aims to double the per capita income of the state from present level of Rs 29,000.
On problems being faced by the state silk industry, he promised to provide subsidy on the yarn and convert handlooms into powerlooms. Gogoi claimed the condition of tribals in Assam is better than other states.
Referring to education scenario in the state, the Chief Minister said his government is not only distributing free cycles to the students, but also providing laptops to those who scored 60 per cent and above in the high school
examination. He claimed during his 10-year-rule, "the state has progressed a lot and this much development had not taken place in any other tenure."
Meanwhile, Governor J B Pattnaik, interacting with the journalists highlighted the need to provide employment to the tribals in police and para-military forces in order to bring in the mainstream. He said Assam has lot of potential for developing hydro-power, but asserted it should not be done at the cost of people.
The 126-member Assam Assembly will go for the polls on April 4 and 11.
