Panchayat polls: Gaurav Gogoi accuses BJP of unleashing atrocities against opposition candidates

Guwahati, April 18 (IANS) Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Friday alleged that the “goons” of the BJP have been unleashing atrocities against the opposition candidates in the run-up to the upcoming Panchayat polls.

Gogoi said, “The state administration is biased towards the BJP, and they have not taken any action against the goons of the ruling party. State Congress president Bhupen Borah and MP Pradyut Bordoloi have raised this issue with the police; however, no action was taken against the BJP goons.”

He also stated that Congress workers will not be intimidated and they will take on the BJP in the polls. “We have a long history of contesting against the ruling dispensation, and our party workers are adamant not to let down their guard in front of the intimidation and fearmongering tactics of the BJP,” Gogoi added.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Congress has only one agenda -- defame Assam. There have been 22,000 villages in the state, and there may be one or two stray incidents happened in some areas. The Congress party could have brought this to the notice of the administration, and the state administration will definitely take proper action.”

The CM reiterated that Panchayat polls in the state will be conducted in a free and transparent manner. “There will be free and fair elections. The image of Assam should not be tarnished, and the Congress party always tries to do so. If an individual is harassing another person, a complaint must be lodged, and we will take immediate action. But as of now, we do not have any such reports. No candidate has filed any complaint with the administration,” he added.

Sarma also asserted that there is no point in arguing who would win or lose, as everybody has a clear idea who would emerge as victorious in the election. “I want that opposition must fight the Panchayat polls unitedly so that we can get a notion of public pulse in the Panchayat polls as the Assembly elections are due in Assam within a year,” he further stated.

--IANS

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