Himanta claims to have visited Tarun Gogoi in hospital double the times his son Gaurav did

TITABOR: Assam health minister and BJP star campaigner Himanta Biswa Sarma today claimed that he visited former chief minister Tarun Gogoi double the times his own son Gaurav Gogoi did when he was ailing and admitted to the hospital.

Addressing an election meeting at Gogoi’s castle Titabor in Jorhat district, Sarma said the Congress did not follow the basic principle of politics -- to be with the people at the time of need.

“If Gaurav Gogoi visited his father 40 times when he was admitted to hospital, I visited him 80 times. In BJP, we know the principle of politics is to be with the people at the time of need,” Sarma said.

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Gogoi was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital since he was detected COVID-19 positive on August 25 last before he passed away on November 23 last year. He was discharged for a brief period in between.

“During the time of COVID-19 outbreak, how many Congress men have you seen visiting people? We provided all the support braving infection and death all across the state. Narendra Modi provided free ration. And now, Congress comes to teach us what politics is all about!” Sarma said.

“I would like to tell you that not a single Congress man came forward to donate a unit of plasma. Congress is not a party that stands by its people at the time of need,” he added.

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Earlier, the BJP bigwig took part in a road show in the traditional Congress bastion that Tarun Gogoi represented thrice to be three-time chief minister of the state.

Former Congress MLA Hemanta Kalita is the BJP candidate from Titatbor and is contesting against Bhaskarjyoti Baruah of the Congress. Titabor will go to polls in the first phase on March 27.