Akhil Gogoi wants to roar like a lion against the govt

GUWAHATI: Jailed peasant leader Akhil Gogoi today formally launched his election campaign stating that he wants to be the spokesman of people of Assam and roar like a lion in the Assam assembly if he is elected from Sivasagar in the Assam assembly elections.

Gogoi has, however, all but accepted the fact that if elected he would be occupying a seat in the opposition bench saying: “I want to be the spokesman of the people of Assam in the assembly. I would want to roar like a lion in the assembly against any anti-people activity of the government.”

He made the statements in an open letter addressed to the people of Sivasagar as well as his supporters across Assam. Raijor Dal working president Bhasco De Saikia read out the letter to the media here today.

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Promising that he would always be with the people, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti leader said if elected, he would ensure that a resolution was taken in the Assam assembly against implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam.

Appealing to the people to support him physically as well as financially to win the Sivasagar seat, Gogoi stated: “I appeal to all my well wishers to visit Sivasagar and campaign for me … The stipulated rules say a candidate can spend up to a maximum of Rs 30 lakh. Since I am imprisoned and I don’t have resources or any saving, I request my well wishers to contribute financially so that the campaign could be carried out,” he stated.

Taking a leaf out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi promise to make Sivasagar an iconic site of the country, Gogoi said his primary objective would be to spend all government as well as non-government funds at his disposal for the development of Sivasagar and “make it an iconic site”.

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“If elected, I promise that every single paise of my MLA’s local area development fund would be spent accountably for the development of the people. I’ll strive for drinking water, irrigation and all round development of the contiuency,” Gogoi wrote in his letter.

He also appealed to his supporters to elect him for his release from jail. “In their five years of governance, the BJP kept me confined to jail for two years. Your support to elect me can only help my release from jail,” he wrote.

Gogoi had yesterday withdrawn his nomination from his home constituency Mariani stating that it would ensure election of one more non-BJP MLA to the Assam assembly.