Assam Assembly Election 2021: Congress not a divided home, will defeat BJP this time, says Pradyut Bordoloi – India News , ResideNews360

Congress chief Pradyut Bordoloi. Image courtesy Facebook web page of @PradyutBordoloiinc

With lower than 24 hours to go for the primary section of voting in 47 Legislative Assembly constituencies of Assam, the joy resulting in the start of the political battle is growing by the minute. Unlike 2016, BJP doesn’t have the advantages of a Narendra Modi this time. There are components on the bottom just like the anti-CAA sentiments that, though diluted, can nonetheless set off an anti-incumbency temper. As such the Congress has regrouped strongly in the previous few months choosing up strategic companions, hiding inside variations and embarking on an enormous social media drive.

Congress MP from Nowgong Pradyut Bordoloi, who’s on the forefront of campaigning together with different celebration leaders, in a freewheeling chat with ResideNews360, explains why the celebration is best ready to tackle the BJP this time regardless of the ruling celebration’s campaigning blitzkrieg.

Edited excerpts observe:

As earlier than, BJP is projecting its improvement plant as its USP to hunt votes. How satisfied are you?

The improvement plank of BJP has been a farce as a result of although they discuss improvement they don’t seem to be passing the event plank in the suitable earnest. Instead of that, they know they’ve failed on all fronts be it job creation, mitigating the plight of the widespread folks or these elementary points that contact the lives of widespread folks. That is why they’re very afraid of going to the folks with a improvement plank or speaking about improvement solely.

To camouflage their failure what they’re doing is that they’ve taken up their final weapon that’s to polarise folks and bringing in a non secular sentiment. In truth, it’s a disgrace that these points — the two-nation concept that has been buried in India 75 years in the past, the BJP have introduced it out of their politics in Assam. Now they’re attempting to propagate the idea simply to polarise the society in Assam and to rupture and destroy the social material that has been painstakingly constructed by generations of Assamese Congress leaders.

BJP calls Congress’ alliance with Badruddin Ajmal’s AIUDF “unholy” and dangerous for Assam. What do it’s a must to say on that?

This can also be a really laughable accusation of them. They themselves have an alliance with AIUDF. Even in the present day three Zila Parishads in Assam like Nagaon, Darrang are being run by an alliance of AIUDF and BJP. In the previous additionally, they joined palms with AIUDF for placing up a standard candidate into the Rajya Sabha. There are many such cases. But in the present day after we fashioned the grand alliance with AIUDF as one of many 9 progressive political events and others like CPM, CPI, CPI-ML, BPF, Anchalik Gana Parishad, their opposition to it is vitally ridiculous. They are simply attempting to make use of Ajmal as a punching bag to additional their non secular polarisation politics. The folks of Assam are rejecting this type of accusation.

Of late, Congress appears to have stopped washing its soiled linen in public at the least throughout campaigning. Is that strategic?

I feel Congress is just not a divided home. May be at instances prior to now as a consequence of weak management points there was a way of indiscipline however credit score goes to Jitendra Singh who has taken over as the overall secretary. He has introduced all people on board with equal respect and equal standing. And as it’s as senior leaders of the celebration, we’re all accountable. We have the expertise and everyone knows that we should work unitedly to defeat the BJP. We are completely united and we’re preventing the BJP. And we’re successful the election this time.

If Congress regains energy, will we see an MP taking cost because the chief minister of the state?

It is untimely to say something like this. Our main and primary intention is to defeat the BJP within the state as a result of we essentially consider that the BJP’s rule has been ruining the social material of Assam. It is upon us to revive the social material of Assam. We should cease the BJP juggernaut. We have to revive the Axomiyatwyo of the state of Assam.

Many opinion polls are claiming that BJP will retain energy in Assam though with a lesser majority than 2016. What do it’s a must to say on that?

Whatever opinion ballot that has been given by sure national-level tv channels from Delhi or some other place, I at all times take that with a pinch of salt. We all know these channels are all within the pocket of the BJP. All these wealthy capitalists are hand in gloves with (Narendra) Modi and BJP. So no matter they are saying I truly do not consider it. I consider in myself, I consider within the capability of my celebration. In Assam, we’re going to type a Congress-led authorities in one-and-half months from now.

We have seen Congress making a robust presence in Upper and Northern Assam till a month in the past however Himanta Biswa Sarma might need countered that wave by mounting large campaigns. Do you are concerned about shedding floor?

Fundamentally, the Assamese persons are very secular. The Assamese ethos may be very liberal and really inclusive. It is an individual like Himanta Biswa Sarma who on behalf of the RSS from Nagpur is attempting to principally divide the Assamese society into two non secular polarisations. That has not gone down effectively with the Assamese folks. In the primary section particularly in Upper Assam many of the seats the place the persons are going for votes, the BJP is attempting to construct a crescendo on this hype. The BJP has actually gone into a brand new low of their political narrative which is essentially towards the Assamese ethos. That is why they can not see the identical non secular polarisation and this try and divide the Assamese society repeatedly. The folks of Assam are going to reject it.

The Congress celebration has come up huge on social media with a rising presence on Twitter and Facebook with themes like #KokaaiKiKoi, #BaadDiaHe and a brand new Twitter deal with @5Guarantee. How is it serving to?

Our marketing campaign has been designed in a really cohesive method. Social media performs an important position. Needless to say that social media reaches out to a really giant part of voters particularly the younger folks. So our social media has additionally been designed to really spotlight what we’re doing and the way we need to carry it ahead. We are getting dividends for this cohesive strategy.

BJP has made no point out of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and Clause 6 of the Assam Accord in its manifesto. Any touch upon that?

BJP is sort of a chameleon. They change colors every time it fits them. The CAA has already been enacted however they’re saying various things in several states. For instance, they’re saying will probably be applied in toto in West Bengal, in Tamil Nadu they’ve mentioned that it’ll not be applied, in Assam they’re completely mum. It is a really opportunistic stance of BJP. Whatever fits them they need to do it to realize political energy someway. The BJP management is just like the fly-by-night operator. They will take something that may fetch them energy. People can see by their recreation.

How a lot does the celebration miss Tarun Gogoi?

Obviously, Tarun Gogoi had been a cornerstone for the final 15-20 years. So, we’re undoubtedly lacking him however we’re not feeling helpless. After all, we educated below him. I had been his colleague within the ministry. So we’re carrying ahead Tarun Gogoi’s legacy and we’re sufficiently educated and skilled. Even if his insurance policies are omnipresent, we’re not feeling helpless. We aren’t feeling like we will not get it accomplished ourselves. It is just not an issue for us.