Priyanka Gandhi (Annie’s photo)
New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday issued a 20-point “charge sheet” against the BJP-led Assam government, accusing Prime Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of corruption and using state machinery to create fear among minorities.The chargesheet was unsealed in Guwahati ahead of the upcoming elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly. The Congress has alleged that the BJP government has failed to deliver on key promises made during its decade-long tenure.Among the issues raised, the party said the government had not granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six indigenous communities as promised. She also alleged that the BJP failed to increase the daily wages of tea garden workers to Rs 351.The Congress also accused the state government of “rampant corruption”, alleging that the chief minister and some of his close ministers and their family members “have amassed wealth illegally”. The indictment also alleged that the government engaged in “bulldozer justice” and carried out selective evictions that targeted minorities, according to news agency PTI. Priyanka Gandhi, chair of the Congress Election Scrutiny Committee for Assam elections, is on a two-day visit to the state to finalize the party’s list of candidates.
She was received at the airport by Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and other senior leaders.Soon after her arrival, she visited the revered Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hills to offer prayers. “I have sought Maa Kamakhya’s blessings and I feel very good after offering prayers at the temple,” she told reporters.Talking about the party’s preparations, Gandhi said she would personally meet party leaders and workers to collect feedback before distributing tickets. She said: “I meet with everyone and receive their suggestions and comments. This is what we will do for two days, and we try to meet as many people as possible individually. Members of the counting committee have gone to each district. They will take feedback and then evaluate it. Our efforts are to distribute tickets well and fight the elections strongly.”When asked about the coalition talks, she said people should “wait and see what happens.”Meanwhile, CM Sarma expressed confidence in the BJP’s return to power in the state under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Addressing the BJP Vijay Sankalp Sabha booth in Guwahati, Sarma highlighted development initiatives in Assam, including the recently approved underwater tunnel in the Brahmaputra river connecting Johpur and Numaligarh. He described it as an “unimaginable gift for Assam”.“This time we will win, by setting a record. What we want the Prime Minister has given to Assam… What we cannot imagine, the Prime Minister has given an unimaginable gift to Assam,” Sarma said.
