GUWAHATI May 5: Thanking the people for the massive mandate to the BJP-led NDA, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora on Tuesday said the alliance, in which his party is a constituent, will work with renewed vigour to make Assam one of the top five states in the country in terms of development.
He maintained that the Congress was removed from reality which led to its poor performance in the election, including the defeat of its state chief and MP Gaurav Gogoi.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Bora said, “We had said before the elections that the NDA’s strength will increase and we will win in double digits. It has been proved right.”
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“We thank the people for their support, and every worker of AGP and our NDA allies for their work,” he added.
The NDA swept to a third successive term in the state by securing 102 seats in the 126-member state assembly. The BJP won 82 seats, while the AGP and Bodoland People’s Front bagged 10 each.
Bora maintained that it was work done by the government for the people that ensured the alliance’s victory.
“We renew our determination to make Assam among the top five states in the country in the next term. Be it infrastructure, agriculture, education, irrigation, our focus will be on all core sectors,” the AGP president, who was a minister in the outgoing cabinet, said.
He maintained that the people of Assam are politically conscious and voted for the alliance that delivered on its promises.
On the next government formation, Bora said the party MLAs will meet here on Wednesday and elect their leader for the assembly.
“We will hold discussions in the BJP state head-office this evening,” he said.
Refusing to divulge details of the talks when asked how many ministerial berths the AGP will seek, Bora added, “The ministry formation is the discretion of the chief minister.”
Besides Bora, the party’s working president Keshab Mahanta was the other minister from AGP in the outgoing government.
The AGP president also lashed out at the Congress, claiming that the party has been reduced to a figurative zero.
“It has been proven that the future of Congress is zero. They ruled the state for long years but worked only to create own vote bank, indulged in corruption and encouraged infiltration,” he said.
He maintained that the party was not in touch with the grassroots, which has led to its dismal performance and even the defeat of its state president Gogoi.
The opposition party could manage to secure only 19 seats.
“Had they worked for the state, our condition would have been different now,” Bora claimed.
He also took a swipe at the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), which failed to open its account in the hustings even in its second assembly election outing.
“They tried to imitate our name and project themselves as a regional group. But they joined hands with the Congress and were rejected by the people,” Bora added.
The AJP was part of a six-party opposition alliance, which included the Congress. (PTI)
