Congress in love with BJP in Guwahati, remarks Himanta

GUWAHATI: Assam cabinet minister and North East Democratic Alliance convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma today said the Congress is in love with the BJP in Guwahati.

Accompanying cabinet colleague Siddhartha Bhattacharya in filing nomination at the Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner’s office here Sarma said: “It seems the Congress loves the BJP very much in Guwahati.”

He was responding to mediapersons’ queries on prospects of the saffron party in the Assam assembly elections. “We will win by margins of lakhs of votes,” he said stating that all the opponent candidates were took weak.

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The Congress has fielded Ashima Bordoloi in Guwahati East, Mira Borthakur in Guwahati West, Romen Borthakur in Jalukbari and Manjit Mahanta of its ally Anchalik Gana Morcha in Dispur. The BJP has pitched Sarma in Jalukbari, Atul Bora in Dispur, Siddhartha Bhattacharya in Guwahati East and Ramendra Narayan Kalita of Asom Gana Parishad in Guwahati West.

Asked about his campaign in his own constituency, the BJP star campaigner said: “I have all along been with the people of Jalukbari over the past five years. Now the people of Jalukbari are themselves campaigning for me. I’ll attend a meeting there on the last day of campaign.”

Not only has Sarma remarked the opposition candidates as weak, a section of political analysts also feel that the BJP has been given a “walkover” in the four seats of the capital city district.

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At a time when Mira Borthakur was doing the spadework at Guwahati East, she has been pitched in Guwahati West where she has herself claimed to be unfamiliar.

On the other hand, voters in Dispur were expecting former minister Akon Bora or his son Manash Bora of the Congress to contest against incumbent Atul Bora, the Congress decided to leave the seat for its ally. Mahanta though will contest the polls in Congress symbol as his party is yet to be registered.

Similarly, the Congress also appears to have given walkover to BJP in adjoining Hajo. The Congress has pitches new face Anowar Hussain against incumbent Suman Haripriya even as former Congressman Dulu Ahmed has filed nomination as Assam Jatiya Parishad candidate in the same constituency.