GUWAHATI: The BJP is gearing up for the panchayat polls which have been scheduled for early next year, with party insiders saying anger over the Amchang eviction drive might become a barb in the ruling party's side.
Though the BJP's official stance is that the government was not to blame for the incident as it was only implementing the court order, internal rumblings are being heard that the party's workers need to do a lot of explaining for the Amchang eviction drive.
The BJP is putting up a brave face on whether the incident is going to affect the saffron party's prospects in the rural bodies' election. "People across the state have already understood that the state government actually implemented the court's order. Our grassroots workers are also explaining to the people that BJP is committed to safeguard the interests of indigenous people," BJP general secretary Dilip Saikia said.
However, protests erupted in different parts of the state following the two-day eviction drive in the Amchang wildlife sanctuary in the heart of the city this week, with several organizations accusing the BJP-led government of targeting indigenous people who had been affected by floods and erosion as encroachers.
The BJP's poll promise of safeguarding 'Jati, Mati, Bheti' (identity, land and homeland) has come under question, say party sources.
Takam Mising Porin Kebang, a student body representing the Mising tribe, has termed the eviction an antitribal step and has threatened it will prevent BJP leaders from campaigning in Misingmajority areas in the state.
On Friday, the Gauhati high court directed the state government to submit the process for rehabilitation of people who have been evicted this week. On Wednesday, the court suspended the eviction drive on residential areas in the sanctuary due to school examination of children and the winter season, however permitting the government to carry on the eviction drive against commercial establishments inside the sanctuary The Congress has mounted an attack on the BJP saying the eviction was carried out in an 'inhuman' manner.
Defending the government's role, Saikia said chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal instructed rehabilitation of indigenous people whose houses were demolished. "Our government is serious on fulfilling its commitment to provide land to landless indigenous people who suffered during the eviction drive," he said.
On Friday, the BJP held a special meeting on the party's preparations for the panchayat polls. BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav, state president Ranjit Kumar Das, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, other party leaders, MPs and legislators were present at the meeting. Party insiders said grassroots workers were asked to actively disseminate information about the BJP-led government's achievements and various welfare schemes for the rural population.
Party president Ranjit Kumar Das said the increasing prices of essential commodities is also not a concern for the BJP's prospects in the panchayat polls. "Increase or decrease of price has nothing to do with increase or decrease of seats," he said.
Though the BJP's official stance is that the government was not to blame for the incident as it was only implementing the court order, internal rumblings are being heard that the party's workers need to do a lot of explaining for the Amchang eviction drive.
The BJP is putting up a brave face on whether the incident is going to affect the saffron party's prospects in the rural bodies' election. "People across the state have already understood that the state government actually implemented the court's order. Our grassroots workers are also explaining to the people that BJP is committed to safeguard the interests of indigenous people," BJP general secretary Dilip Saikia said.
However, protests erupted in different parts of the state following the two-day eviction drive in the Amchang wildlife sanctuary in the heart of the city this week, with several organizations accusing the BJP-led government of targeting indigenous people who had been affected by floods and erosion as encroachers.
The BJP's poll promise of safeguarding 'Jati, Mati, Bheti' (identity, land and homeland) has come under question, say party sources.
Takam Mising Porin Kebang, a student body representing the Mising tribe, has termed the eviction an antitribal step and has threatened it will prevent BJP leaders from campaigning in Misingmajority areas in the state.
On Friday, the Gauhati high court directed the state government to submit the process for rehabilitation of people who have been evicted this week. On Wednesday, the court suspended the eviction drive on residential areas in the sanctuary due to school examination of children and the winter season, however permitting the government to carry on the eviction drive against commercial establishments inside the sanctuary The Congress has mounted an attack on the BJP saying the eviction was carried out in an 'inhuman' manner.
Defending the government's role, Saikia said chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal instructed rehabilitation of indigenous people whose houses were demolished. "Our government is serious on fulfilling its commitment to provide land to landless indigenous people who suffered during the eviction drive," he said.
On Friday, the BJP held a special meeting on the party's preparations for the panchayat polls. BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav, state president Ranjit Kumar Das, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, other party leaders, MPs and legislators were present at the meeting. Party insiders said grassroots workers were asked to actively disseminate information about the BJP-led government's achievements and various welfare schemes for the rural population.
Party president Ranjit Kumar Das said the increasing prices of essential commodities is also not a concern for the BJP's prospects in the panchayat polls. "Increase or decrease of price has nothing to do with increase or decrease of seats," he said.
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