BJP pushes development agenda, opposition alleges sacrifice of local interests

GUWAHATI: Curtains came down on campaigns for the second and final phase of the panchayat election in the state on Friday, with the fate of over 35,000 candidates to be decided in the last phase of the rural polls to be held across 10 districts of the state on Sunday.

The high-pitched campaign in lower Assam districts during the last leg of campaigning was headed by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and BJP heavyweight Himanta Biswa Sarma, who put forward the development agenda to take on Congress, AGP and the AIUDF, while former chief minister and AGP leader Prafulla Mahanta continued attacking the saffron party for ‘sacrificing’ the state’s interests for its own political gains by seeking citizenship for illegal migrants.

Use of choppers and mass rallies at par with the assembly and general election campaigns gave a new dimension to the rural polls this time, though the event has been marred by sporadic incidents of violence in Barak Valley and central Assam in the last 24 hours.

On the final day of campaigning, chief minister Sonowal addressed four election rallies — two each at Nalbari and Barpeta districts — while Himanta Biswa Sarma took a dig at the saffron party’s rivals in Bongaigaon and Goalpara in lower Assam.

“People across the Brahmaputra and Barak Valleys of Assam want to cleanse corruption from the panchayats and want to bring in transparency from the grassroots. We are certain about our success in the panchayat election after the unprecedented support of voters in the first phase voting. In the second phase too we will be able garner massive support,” said Sonowal.

Firing a salvo at the ‘corrupt’ Congress and the AIUDF, the CM accused both parties of having an “internal understanding” for long. Significantly, Sonowal also alleged that its key ally in the state government, the AGP, has joined this “unholy nexus” of late.

The panchayat polls has given a new twist to the current political engineering in the state, with the three allies in the state government — BJP, AGP and BPF contesting the election separately. In the second phase, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, South Salmara Mankachar, Goalpara, Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Hojai will go to the polls.

Addressing an election rally in lower Assam’s Goalpara district, former chief minister Prafulla Mahanta apparently hit out at Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP leaders, whom he criticized for defecting to the saffron party allegedly to escape corruption charges.

“They (BJP leaders) want to point fingers at AGP on the charges which were dismissed by the court way before. Instead, they should convey the government’s responsibility by implementing the Assam Accord and flush out the illegal migrants,” said Mahanta.

On the other hand, Sarma said voters are going to give a decisive mandate in favour of the BJP for its commitment towards the state during its two and half year tenure at the state government. “The high turnout of voters in this election undoubtedly affirms that the BJP’s victory is certain in the panchayat polls. We are contesting the polls solely on the development agenda and nothing else,” he said.