HT DIGITAL
GUWAHATI, APR 18: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday strongly refuted allegations made by Congress leaders that their panchayat election candidates were being intimidated into withdrawing nominations. He accused the Congress party of “always trying to defame Assam.”
Responding to claims that state police were being used to pressure candidates, Sarma dismissed the accusations, noting the absence of widespread media coverage. “Congress is saying this, but I have not seen any such news in local dailies or on television channels. The Rabha Hasong election took place peacefully, and out of 22,000 villages in Assam, they have pointed to only one or two incidents,” Sarma said.
Related Posts:
He emphasized that the district administration and police are maintaining complete neutrality to ensure fair elections and assured that any complaints would be addressed promptly. “If any candidate approaches the administration with a complaint, we will act immediately,” he stressed.
The Chief Minister further guaranteed that the government is committed to conducting a free and impartial election. He urged Congress leaders to submit formal complaints if they had any specific instances of harassment. “Pradyut Bordoloi and Bhupen Borah have informed the DGP, but so far, no candidate has officially filed a complaint,” he added.
Highlighting the active participation in the upcoming polls, Sarma pointed out that over 2,000 candidates have filed nominations for the 300 Zilla Parishad seats. “There is no mass withdrawal happening. In fact, more people are contesting this time. If intimidation was widespread, it would have been reported extensively,” he said.
Looking ahead, Sarma expressed hope for a robust electoral contest, viewing the panchayat elections as a key indicator ahead of the next assembly polls. “We want a strong competition. The panchayat election will reflect the public sentiment before the assembly elections. A year has passed since the Lok Sabha polls, and another year remains before the assembly elections. BJP is committed to ensuring that the panchayat polls truly represent the people’s mood,” he concluded.
