by Bhupen Goswami 

Guwahati: There are no more days left for the assembly elections in the five states this year, with political parties campaigning in full swing. All parties are putting their full emphasis on all the five states. In the same episode, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also addressing two election rallies in Assam on March 14 in the wake of the forthcoming assembly elections. During a rally in Tinsukia, Amit Shah told the people that “they have gathered here today to decide who will form the next government in the forthcoming assembly elections. In a few days, the rule of Assam will be in the hands of which party or person. It has to be fixed.

You have two options under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the second option is the government led by Rahul Gandhi or Maulana Badruddin. Can you decide whether Assam can be developed by PM Modi or Rahul Gandhi or Maulana Badruddin?” He said, “These elections are the choice to build the future of Assam, to bring the pride of Assam to the skies. We are fully committed to the dignity of Assam and the entire north-east. No one has honoured the famous emperor of the music sector Bhupen Hazarika Ji, the Narendra Modi-led BJP government has done the job of honouring him with Bharat Ratna. In Assam, the Congress government lasted for 15 years, but till today Bhupen Hazarika was not given any honour. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “There was a Congress government in Assam for years, but they never pulled out the infiltrators or did they ever want to pull them out? The Congress government never wanted to exclude the infiltrators because they see their votbank in the infiltrators. While we said that Assam will be freed from infiltrators and that work is almost complete.

We said that Assam will be liberated from terrorism and more than 2000 people have returned to the mainstream by putting arms. He said, “after five years, there is no agitation, no terrorism in Assam, development is the same. We also do what we say. We have run a government for five years that even the opposition cannot accuse us of corruption. We have gone with PM Modi’s slogan of ‘ Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas ‘. Now it is to tell you that you need violence or peace. Firearm should or should be employed. Should infiltrate or develop. You tell whether Rahul Gandhi can stop violence or infiltration in Assam with Badruddin. Give us another five years, infiltration will become a past for Assam.

The Assam Assembly elections will be held in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6. This time the match will be between a coalition of election parties. On the one hand in the state, the BJP is taking the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) party to the polls, and on the other hand, the Congress has formed a grand alliance with six political parties. The Grand Alliance comprises of the Zonal Gana Morcha against BPF, CPI, CPI (M), CPI (ML), and CAA along with the Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF.

It is understood that no party had got a full majority in the state’s year 2016 elections. While the BJP became the largest party with 60 MLAs, its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) had won 14 and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) had won 12 seats. At the same time, an independent MLA has also supported the BJP. The Congress won 26 seats, while the AIUDF got 13 seats. On the other hand, in Assam, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has started campaigning for BJP from Sunday. He has addressed four rallies in Biswanath and Golaghat districts.

The two rallies of Singh have been held in the tea gardens of Gohpur. Gohpur is a historical place which is associated with the Quit India Movement. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that terrorism and insurgency have been reduced in Assam which has speeded up the development activities of the Government. Addressing an election rally here, Rajnath Singh said that peace has returned to Assam and dozens of militant outfits have put up arms during the last five years of BJP rule in the state. He said, “We have sealed the international border with Dhubri and the little part that has been left without a wire will also be completely sealed after the BJP comes to power in Assam. Rajnath Singh said that even in Tripura, the BJP government is working to stop illegal abrasion from the neighbouring country. Defence Minister Vishwanath was campaigning for the present BJP MLA Pramod Borthakur from the seat, which is directly contesting from Congress candidate Anjan Bora.