Guwahati, Jan 20 (PTI) Veteran Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday claimed that the BJP’s double-engine government in Assam will come to an end with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma because of “corruption and hooliganism”.
Baghel, a former Chhattisgarh CM, also said the Congress was in talks with like-minded opposition parties to fight the coming Assembly elections in this northeastern state together.
Addressing a press conference here, AICC senior observer for Assam Baghel said, “The end of the double-engine government of the BJP at the Centre, as well as in the state, will come with Himanta Biswa Sarma. He is the reason for the massive corruption and gundagardi (hooliganism).” Accusing Sarma and his wife of amassing wealth across the state and bending rules to grow their assets, Baghel claimed that, according to the BJP leader’s election declaration, his wealth was worth Rs one crore in 2006, which has reached Rs 17 crore in 2021.
“But his actual property is far more than that,” Baghel alleged.
He mentioned that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had earlier described Sarma as the “most corrupt chief minister” in the country.
“Sarma was among the first to be cleaned in the BJP’s washing machine, and now he has broken all corruption records,” Baghel added, referring to the saffron party alleging corruption charges against Sarma when he was a Congress minister.
Once a close associate of Congress Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Sarma joined the BJP in 2015.
To a question, Baghel said that talks were on with like-minded parties for forming an alliance, and the outcome will be revealed later.
Another senior party observer for the state and former Union Minister Bandhu Tirkey, also present at the press conference, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Amit Shah were running an authoritarian regime at the Centre, which was emulated by their “disciple” Sarma in Assam.
“There is massive corruption under this government, and we will expose it before the people,” he added.
State Congress president Gaurav Gogoi asserted that the party is working to overthrow the BJP-led government, and it will forge an alliance with other opposition parties to take on the ruling coalition.
Gogoi claimed that the saffron party was itself divided between Sarma and former CM Sarbananda Sonowal, with party members having to pick sides.
The Congress MP also questioned the understanding between the BJP and its allies. “No one knows whether the BJP will go with UPPL or BPF in Bodoland. In Upper Assam, no one knows how many seats will see ‘friendly contests’ between BJP and AGP.” The Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) are alliance partners of the BJP at the state level, but they fought the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) election separately in September last year.
The BPF swept the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls, winning 28 of the 40 seats. The UPPL and the BJP, alliance partners in the outgoing council, finished second and third with seven and five seats respectively, down from their previous tally of 12 and nine.
The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is another constituent of the ruling alliance.
“Assam has its own rich heritage, culture and identity. The Himanta Biswa Sarma government is working against it. But we will not let it happen and are committed to a ‘Natun Bor Asom’ (new greater Assam),” Gogoi added. PTI SSG NN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.