Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday accused the AGP and BJP of having a “secret understanding” with the ULFA.
Addressing a press conference, the veteran Congress leader said: “Why doesn’t the ULFA speak against the AGP and BJP? The anwer is simple.
The AGP and BJP, which have a secret understanding between them, also have a secret understanding with ULFA.
That ULFA has asked the people not to vote for the Congress is enough to prove that the outfit has indirectly called for voting for the AGP and BJP.”
“ULFA wants a government of the AGP and BJP. At least that is my inference,” he said. He also suspected a “secret understanding” between the AGP, BJP and AUDF: “Otherwise why would AUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal say he was fielding candidates in most seats to defeat the Congress?”
Guwahati, Mar 18 (IANS) Mohit Hojai, one of the key accused in a Rs.1,000-crore financial scam, Thursday filed his nomination papers from jail for the Assam assembly elections as a representative of a regional party, which is an ally of the main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).
Hojai, who has also been formally charged in court by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the case, has been nominated as candidate for the Haflong assembly constituency in Assam's North Cachar Hills district by the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC).
Hojai was arrested in 2009.
The NIA, which investigates terror related crimes, has come up with startling revelations that government funds worth millions of rupees have been going to the coffers of a separatist group in Assam.
The findings point to a politician-militant-bureaucrat-contractor nexus in Assam.
The NIA, in its second charge sheet submitted in the court of special judge in Guwahati Oct 18, said elected members of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) helped the outlawed Jewel Garlosa faction of the Dima Halim Daogah (DHD-J) siphon off government funds.
'The main activity of the DHD-J after 2006 was to siphon off government funds through extortion with the help of elected members of the council, contractors and government servants, in order to finance their subversive activities,' says the NIA charge sheet, a copy of which is available with IANS.
Among the 16 people formally charged by the NIA are Hojai, a politician, bureaucrat R.H. Khan, who was the deputy director of the social welfare department, contractor Jibangshu Paul, and DFD-J leader Jewel Garolosa.
Hojai's candidature could possibly weaken the AGP's vow to make the Rs.1,000 crore financial scam an election issue to pin down the ruling Congress.
'The AGP has joined hands with the ASDC and you find the prime accused in the Rs.1,000 crore scam nominated as candidate of the ASDC and AGP silently supporting the whole dirty game,' a senior Congress leader said.
Silchar: While the Trinamool Congress is keen to enter into an electoral alliance with its UPA ally Congress in West Bengal, it has gone its own way in Assam, deciding to fight the poll alone.
The party has already announced its first list of 55 candidates, including former minister Bijit Saikia from Tezpur Assembly seat, and is scheduled to announce a second list soon.
It will contest 12 of the 15 Assembly seats in the Barak valley where there is a sizeable presence of Bengalis, and is confident of winning at least seven of them.
In 2009, Trinamool had sprung a surprise by winning five Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh out of 28 seats where it had put up candidates to make inroads in the Northeast for the first time.
The candidates it had fielded in Arunachal comprised mostly those who were denied tickets by the Congress - a fact which is in display in Assam too.
In Manipur, the party had won a by-election from Konthoujam Assembly seat last month defeating a Congress rival after forming an electoral alliance with the BJP.
Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee will campaign for the party in the state and is likely to address five rallies at Silchar and Karimganj, Trinamool general secretary Neelotpal Das said.
GUWAHATI: Launching an attack against the ruling Congress government in Assam, BJP on Wednesday said people of the state will vote against corruption, price rise and bad law and order in the assembly elections.
"The Congress is daydreaming that people will give its mandate for the third term. The voting trend in the country today is for performance and governance. In the last 10 years, the Congress has failed miserably in all parameters of governance. So, Assam is poised for a change this time," said BJP national spokesperson Prakash Javedkar. Javedkar, who will be present during the filing of nomination of BJP candidates in Tezpur on Thursday, alleged that the last 10 years saw 12,000 deaths in militancy-related violence, 8000 cases of kidnapping and 5,000 incidents of extortion.
"Corruption, bad law and order and price rise are the worst failures of Congress. Today, Assam has about 50 per cent population living below the poverty line. The unemployment figure has touched 23 lakh which is highest in the country. Agriculture growth in the state is below two per cent," added Javedkar.
The BJP leader, however, claimed that states ruled by the saffron party were faring better than Congress-ruled states in terms of governance and development. The saffron party is expected to release its manifesto next week.
Guwahati, Mar 17 : With electioneering slowly intensifying in the state in view of the next months’ two phase assembly polls, corruption and price rise might upset the prospect of the ruling Congress party, which is seeking a third consecutive term to power. The opposition parties have identified corruption and price rise as two potential weapons to attack the Congress party.
The unearthing of a series of multi-crore scams in the fag end of the second term of the Tarun Gogoi government’s rule is making the Congress camp jittery. The scams, on the other hand, have come something like godsend for the opposition parties, particularly the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which was desperately in search of a major poll plank to attack the ruling party during elections. The BJP, which has been buoyant in Assam since the last Lok Sabha elections, when it won 4 seats, too will be attacking the Congress on corruption and price rise grounds, besides the illegal Bangladeshi-immigration issue.
At least three multi-core scams, viz.; North Cachar Hills scam, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council scam and Irrigation department scam, were unearthed in the state in last one year.
“Corruption and price rise will surely be high on our agenda. Corruption has gripped every department of the state during the Congress’ rule and people need to be said how the Congress party looted the public money,” said a senior office bearer of the BJP.
Accoriding to him, Varun Gandhi will be star campaigner in the state, in addition to Hema Malini and LK Advani.
Further, with essential commodities going through the roof, coupled with hike in petroleum prices, there is an anti-incumbency wave against the Congress party in the state, which the opposition parties are capitalising on.
The going for the Congress is expected to be further rough as the political arithmetic in the state has changed since 2006. The rise of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which has a good following in Mulsim dominated districts of Assam, is expected to play spoilsport for the Congress.
The AIUDF, which was a minimal force in 2006 assembly election, is expected to cut-across traditional Muslim votes of the Congress party this time. Congress’ alliance partner, the Bodoland People’s Party (BPF), too is keeping its card open by not going for any pre-poll alliance with the Congress party.
Titabor (Assam), Mar 16 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today filed his nomination for the Titabor Assembly constituency under Jorhat district.
Accompanied by his wife Dolly Gogoi and son Gaurav Gogoi, a relaxed and smiling CM filed three sets of nomination before the Returning Officer and SDO (Civil) Debo Kalita.
Exuding confidence Gogoi told reporters after filing his papers that the Congress will come to power for the third successive term with a clear majority.
"We will sweep the polls and form the government.
There is no doubt about it," he said.
The chief minister further added that the contest in the forthcoming polls would be primarily between the Congress, Asom Gana Parishad and the BJP.
Asked about the ULFA threat to the Congress, Gogoi said, the "ULFA was not a factor at all and their threats will not affect us".
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said he will ask the Centre to provide legal refugee status to the people from Bangladesh who had to flee that country due to religious persecution even after the cut-off year of 1971.
"On humanitarian grounds, I will take up with the Centre the issue and include it in the election manifesto to be published by the third week of this month," Gogoi told a press conference here.
"We are not bothered about what religion they (migrants) belong, whether they are Hindus or Muslims. On humanitarian ground, those who have been forced to leave Bangladesh due to religious persecution should be granted legal refugee status," he said.
Denying that he was trying to garner the votes of the majority community by making this announcement ahead of the assembly election, the chief minister said the people who were forced to migrate to India from Bangladesh due to religious persecution will stay.
Claiming that his party will win the assembly election and form the government for the third consecutive term, Gogoi said there was "development all over the state and law and order problem has been tackled effectively."
The chief minister said this year 62 civilians were killed when compared to the last year of the opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) government 10 years ago when 212 people lost their lives to the militants.
Launching a scathing attack on AGP, Gogoi alleged that during the regime of former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta "secret killings" (of ULFA kins) had taken place.
"Now development is on all fronts and people are free to move around as the law and order situation has improved", he said.
Rejecting the charge that Congress had violated the model code of conduct by distributing bicycles and blankets among the villagers, Gogoi said this was the policy of the government.
"If the opposition feels that we have violated the model code of conduct, they are free to approach the Election Commission", he said.
Pointing out that the electoral alliance with Bodoland People's Front (BPF) will stay, Gogoi said his party will field candidates in most of the 126 constituencies pending understanding with the Bodo party in "some seats".
Replying to a query whether party tickets will be given to aspirants who have a criminal background, Gogoi said those who have chargesheets filed will not be nominated.
Sushanta Talukdar
GUWAHATI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Vijay Goel announced here on Sunday that there would be no review of list of candidates for the Assam Assembly elections already announced by the party and that indiscipline in the party would not be tolerated.
Mr. Goel made the statement when journalists asked him if the party was contemplating a review of the list in view of the demand raised by some disgruntled workers.
Vandalism
Hundreds of BJP workers from the Marigaon Assembly constituency had vandalised the Assam BJP headquarters here on Saturday to vent out their anger over the selection of candidates.
“There will be no review of the list of candidates. It is not possible to give party ticket to each aspirant. However, indiscipline will not be tolerated and stern action will be taken. We have already expelled six workers involved in Saturday's incident,” he added.
Positive campaign
Mr. Goel said that his party would launch a positive campaign in Assam and showcase the “good governance” in BJP-ruled States.
He also said that in Assam, the BJP would contest all the 126 assembly constituencies and fight against both the Congress and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). Though BJP has already rejected the idea of “grand alliance” of all Opposition parties proposed by the AGP, disgruntled BJP workers have accused the party leadership of fielding weak candidates in some constituencies in accordance with a “secret understanding” between the two parties.
The senior BJP leader, however, denied the allegation.
Guwahati, Mar 8 (PTI) The Election Commission today said it is satisfied with the security arrangements in Assam and is optimistic that the state Assembly elections which are scheduled to be held next month will be fair and peaceful. Reviewing the poll preparedness in the state, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi said, "We are very optimistic about free, fair and peaceful polls in Assam. I am very satisfied with the law and order arrangements. It is very good. Our comfort level is very high with their preparedness". The full team of Election Commission which arrived here yesterday held a meeting with the district Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police on the poll preparedness, Quraishi said. The EC also reviewed the law and order situation today with the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director General of Police here. "We had individual meetings with the political parties which mostly raised the issues about polling stations, security forces and the need of CCTV in sensitive booths," Quraishi said. The parties also expressed their concern about the alleged continuation of freebies by the government in violation of the model code of conduct, need for micro observers, misuse of money power and paid news, the CEC said. Altogether 137 officers who were posted in their home districts against EC rules will have to be transferred, Quraishi said.
Prasanta Mazumdar
GUWAHATI: Once the best bait to lure voters in Assam, BMW seems to be outrun by bicycles this election in Assam.
For those visualising the German cars, BMW is a locally-used acronym for ‘blanket-money-wine’. The various political parties in Assam have invariably doled out the three things to woo voters in the state’s especially tea and minority Muslim belt over the years.
Constituting half of Assam’s total population, the two communities decide the fate of candidates in almost half of the state’s total 126 assembly segments. And if they could be easily lured through blanket, money and wine, it was because of their poverty and utter backwardness.
However, bicycles appear to be the flavour this season around. Recently, the police seized over 1,500 bicycles from public sector Statfed’s warehouse in central Assam’s Nagaon district.
And not just this, bicycles, purportedly procured under a scheme for schoolgirls, were also seized from several educational institutes in western Assam’s Sualkuchi, central Assam’s Morigaon and eastern Assam’s Tingkhang constituencies.
Apart from bicycles, hand-pumps are also on offer to lure voters in migrant Muslims-inhabited ‘char’ areas. A dozen hand-pumps were seized by the police from the residence of a panchayat president Nazira Begum, a Congress leader, on Saturday in central Assam’s Dhing area.
“Luring voters is a Congress culture,” said a leader of Asom Gana Parishad. “The seizures only go to substantiate this,” he added. The BJP also took a jab at the Congress on the issue. “The government (read Congress) is distributing bicycles in violation of the election code of conduct. So, we have requested the concerned district administrations to take necessary action,” BJP spokesman Vijay Kumar Gupta told Express. He said the party had also lodged a complaint with the EC.
The Congress has rubbished the charges.
Part of the reinforcement of central troops for West Bengal may be diverted to Assam, which goes to the polls on April 4.
West Bengal, which had asked for 798 companies of central forces for pre-poll duties, has already received an advance contingent of 100 companies. Almost 30 per cent of the deployment was to be done in the left-wing extremism areas.
The forces are being used for route marches, area domination exercises, and also for helping to maintain law and order . Another reinforcement of 100 companies was slated to arrive from Saturday.
Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh told journalists at the Secretariat that there would be intra-State movement of troops between Assam and West Bengal (where a six-phase polling would commence on April 18).
To a question on Speaker H. A. Halim's comment that he should have been consulted by the Election Commission on the poll dates, Mr. Ghosh said this announcement was made by the EC in its own right.
Mr. Ghosh said that while Ministers could participate in question-answer sessions, they could not make new announcements now.
Asked whether the Chief Minister can go on district tours, he said: “If there is a law an order problem, he can certainly go.”
Disgruntled Morigaon district unit workers today ransacked the BJP Assam unit office in Guwahati in protest againstselection of candidates.
A large group of slogan shouting workers stormed into the office on RG Borooah Road with placards and started smashing the furtniture, computers and window panes.
Alleging the party leadership had put up an unknown candidate "after taking bribe from the Congress and AGP", the demonstrators, including women, threatened to sit on a dharna in the compound of the office till party state unit President Ranjit Dutta explained why the name of Prahlad Bhuyan was announced as the candidate from Morigaon.
Claiming Bhuyan was unknown in their area, the protestors wanted their leader Bhadra Kanta Nath to be instead made the saffron party's candidate.
BJP national vice-president and Guwahati MP Bijoya Chakraborty attempted to pacify the agitators by promising a meeting between them and national leader Vijay Goel when he comes here tomorrow.
The protestors accused the party of putting up weak candidates.
Earlier at a press meet prior to the ransack, Dutta denied report in a section of media about a secret seat-sharing deal with some political parties as BJP was weak in certain constituencies.
"I clarified we have not put up weak candidates. There will be no future alliance or secret understanding with any political party. We will contest in all the 126 seats," he said.
