Guwahati, Apr 7 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday asserted that the opposition alliance will form a government in Assam by winning around 73 seats of 126 assembly constituencies in the upcoming elections.
Addressing a press meet here, he described Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as the “most corrupt” in India and sought comments from RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on this.
“The Congress-led alliance is going to form the next government in Assam. We will win 72-73 seats,” Kharge claimed.
The Congress survey team has given feedback from the ground that the opposition alliance will surely form the government, he claimed.
When asked if the party’s state chief Gaurav Gogoi will become the CM if the Congress-led alliance forms government, Kharge said: “Our party policy is that all the elected MLAs will sit and decide their leader. They forward their choice to the high command, which will announce the CM.” Alliance partners Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi have announced multiple times in election rallies that Gogoi will be the CM from the opposition bloc.
Polling for the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held on April 9, while the votes will be counted on May 4.
The Congress chief also hit out at the CM over corruption charges.
“No CM in India is so egoistic and arrogant, like him. Himanta Biswa Sarma is working only for his family’s development. He is running syndicates in everything — tea, school, coal, egg, land and areca nut,” Kharge alleged.
He claimed that Sarma’s every cabinet colleague is “corrupt” and “all of them own thousands of crores of properties”, while big corporate houses are “grabbing land” in the state.
“I seek comments from Mohan Bhagwat on the corruption charges against the Assam CM. I requested the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to give their reactions to their adopted son Himanta. Why is there no enquiry, whereas you had said ‘Na khaunga na khane doonga’,” Kharge said.
The opposition has often referred to PM Modi’s pledge to wipe out corruption — “Na khaunga na khane doonga” — and attacked him, alleging that it was mere rhetoric.
Kharge drew attention to Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi’s assets and sought to compare them with those of Sarma.
Asked about Congress Spokesperson Pawan Khera’s allegations of Sarma’s wife possessing three foreign passports and owning assets abroad, Kharge said all agencies are under the central government, which should probe the charges.
“A coal will always remain black even if you clean it a hundred times… They have already filed an FIR against Khera. Let them probe the matter. We will face the case as it progresses. We have sought probes by ED or CBI into the allegations,” he added.
Kharge said that the BJP runs a “double-engine government” at the Centre and in Assam, so it should carry out a probe on the allegations immediately.
“The Foreign Minister is from your party. The Foreign Minister of State is also from your party and from this state. Let them give a clarification if it is fake,” he added.
Kharge also claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has no right” to talk about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi or the Gandhi family, whose members have sacrificed their lives to unite the country.
“When all parties had selected Sonia Gandhi as the prime minister twice, she rejected it and chose renowned economist Manmohan Singh for the post. Can anyone make such a sacrifice?” he asked.
Kharge also pointed out that no member of the Gandhi family has become prime minister or chief minister since 1989, and “Modi is telling a lie”.
“Those who are less intelligent call Congress pro-Muslim and pro-Pakistan,” he said, when asked to comment on the charge that the opposition party indulges in appeasement of minorities.
The Congress chief also criticised the Assam government over the alleged delay in setting up the fast-track court in the Zubeen Garg death case.
“For six months, the BJP government did not set up the fast-track court… Once our government is formed, we will give justice to Zubeen Garg and punish the culprits within 100 days of forming the government,” he added.
The Congress chief also said that as the “opposition alliance is forming the next government, women in Assam don’t need to fear”.
“All the existing schemes will continue, with an enhancement in the cash amount. All women will be given benefits unconditionally. The BJP gives benefit to those women who attend their rallies and threatens to remove the names if they do not come,” he said.
“The country is more important. A good government is important. If the CM is corrupt, the entire governance and administration will be affected. It (the election) is not our fight. It’s Himanta Biswa Sarma versus the people, who are coming out now. We are just standing with the people,” he added.
AICC general secretary and in charge of Assam, Jitendra Singh, said the party has filed a complaint with the Election Commission regarding Sarma’s wife allegedly possessing assets abroad and not declaring the same in the poll affidavit.
“There are a lot of discrepancies in the affidavit. We don’t have much hope from the EC, which works like the BJP’s arm. If needed, we will approach the Supreme Court. Himanta Biswa Sarma will be disqualified even if he becomes the CM,” he claimed.
Asked if some senior Congress leaders leaving the party to join the BJP would affect it, Kharge said “traitors” have left, and it will have no impact on its performance in the election. PTI TR BDC TR RG
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