BJP eyes hat-trick in Assam under Himanta, says Nabin

The ruling BJP will make a hat-trick in Assam by forming the third consecutive Government in the State under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the party’s national chief Nitin Nabin announced on Sunday.

Addressing an election rally in support of Margherita candidate and sitting BJP MLA Bhaskar Sharma, Nabin also attacked the previous Congress Governments for allegedly engaging in vote bank politics instead of developing the State and said there is a need to remember the “black chapter”.

“The BJP is going for a hat-trick after the Assembly elections. We first formed the Government under Sarbananda Sonowal’s leadership, followed by Himanta Biswa Sarma’s tenure. This time, we will form our third Government under the leadership of CM Sarma,” he said.

Nabin said that he has been visiting Assam since 2009-10 for various party work and has travelled extensively across the State.

“We need to remember the black chapter. At that time, there was no talk of development at all. There were tensions when I wanted to travel from one location to another. People used to discuss only violence and agitation,” he claimed.

However, the entire situation changed after the BJP-led NDA came to power in 2016, and the entire nation started talking about Assam’s development, the BJP chief asserted.

“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Assam has become a state of opportunities,” he added.

Nabin also said that the earlier State Government, led by the Congress, worked only for vote bank politics, and they did not create any milestones in the State during their tenure.

The BJP National President further said that the saffron Government works only for the people of Assam and India, but not for the infiltrators.

“We do not form a government for the infiltrators. Every right here is only for the people of Assam and India. It cannot be for the infiltrators,” he added.

Nabin said that the BJP Government takes bold steps for the nation’s security, Assam’s identity and eliminating corruption from the system.

“In the last 12 years, no one from the Opposition can level any corruption charge against any BJP ministers. This is how the BJP works,” he claimed.

Talking about the war situation in West Asia, Nabin alleged that a few are engaged in spreading rumours that essential goods will not be available in the coming days.

“Be assured that the Narendra Modi Government will take the country forward in a normal atmosphere despite global instability. The PM assured Parliament that the Government will not allow any difficulties to the public,” he said, while mentioning the handling of the COVID-19 period.

Mentioning various schemes being implemented by the BJP Government, Nabin claimed that people used to say their wards had gone to India when students went to study in Delhi or other parts of the country.

“That situation has completely changed, and nobody talks like that anymore. People now believe that the Northeast is part of India; it is India. Also, lots of education and job opportunities have been created, and youths nowadays don’t go out of the State,” he added.

Elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held on April 9. Votes will be counted on May 4.

This will be the first Assembly election after the delimitation exercise, which was done in 2023.

Presently, the ruling BJP’s strength in the Assam Assembly is 64, while its allies AGP has nine MLAs, UPPL has seven, and BPF has three members.

In the Opposition camp, the Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF has 15 members, and CPI(M) has one MLA. There is one Independent legislator also.