Assembly Elections 2016: Assam will no longer be underdeveloped after polls, says Sonowal

Guwahati: Union minister and BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate in Assam Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said the state would no longer remain "underdeveloped" as a BJP-led coalition would come to power after the upcoming Assembly election.

"People in Assam have now rejected the Congress and decided that Assam can no longer remain underdeveloped but has to progress along with other states and come out of the darkness in which the Congress has kept it for so long," Sonowal said.

The Union Sports Minister was addressing a joint press conference here along with alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora and Bodo Peoples Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mushahary.

"The BJP-AGP-BPF alliance is committed to give Assam a strong administration for its development and solve its burning problems," Sonowal said.

After the Assembly elections on April 4 and 11, the BJP led government would also protect Assam's land, people and culture, he said.

The BJP state unit chief said the BJP-AGP-BPF alliance with the support of Rabha, Tiwa and other ethnic groups is the strongest contender in the state to form the next government.

"Despite being in power for three straight terms, the Congress failed to solve the burning problems of Assam. With Congress in power both here and at the Centre, the Tarun Gogoi government could have done a lot, but failed to do anything for the state during the last 15 years", he claimed.

Sonowal alleged that the Congress managed to stay in power for three terms only with vote from illegal migrants.

AGP president Atul Bora said, "During its 15-year-rule, Congress has destroyed Assam. As people want change, we have united with the BJP, BPF and other ethnic communities. We are concerned about the future of our youth, development of Assam and implementation of the Assam Accord".

"If Congress had worked, the state with rich natural resources would not have lagged behind. Congress also failed to protect women, children, solve the unemployment problem and control price rise," the AGP chief stated.

The minor differences with the BJP can be sorted out across the table, the regional party's chief said, the party has given up some seats in the interest of Assam.

On the objection of some AGP workers to the alliance, Bora said, "They have understood the advantages of the alliance. I urge them to work together to defeat Congress".

BPF chief Hagrama Mushahary, who had come away from its earlier alliance partner Congress, said, "We have joined the BJP as people want change. We have realised that Congress brought no development to Assam. They did not allow us to work for development of Bodo Territorial Council."