Congress slams BJP for ‘rigging, lavish spending' ahead of May-7 Panchayat polls
LoP Debabrata Saikia claimed that the BJP is misusing government schemes as political tools during the campaign
Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia.
Guwahati, May 5: Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Debabrata Saikia, on Monday, levelled a series of serious allegations against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of using fear, intimidation, and public funds to sway voters ahead of the second phase of the panchayat elections on May 7.
Speaking at a press briefing at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati, Saikia claimed that the BJP was misusing government schemes as political tools during the campaign.
“The current government is using public money to roll out new schemes aimed at influencing voters. They are spending so extravagantly that Assam might be forced to take loans over the next ten years,” he said.
Saikia also alleged blatant violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by BJP leaders and officials, including poll rigging during the first phase of elections.
“We have witnessed rigging by polling officers. Some cases have been reported, but many go unacknowledged. The Chief Minister is trying to win this election unfairly,” he said.
Reacting to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s remarks on the distribution of lungis, dhotis, mosquito nets, and blankets under the “Panchamrit” initiative, Saikia denied that the Congress had ever resorted to such methods.
“I have been in the Congress since 2011, and not once have we engaged in distributing clothes to secure votes. Even my mother, who was an MLA in 1996, rejected such claims,” he said.
Saikia also dismissed recent allegations targeting Deputy Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, over alleged links to Pakistan.
He labelled the accusations a “political stunt” by the Chief Minister following the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
“Instead of focusing on a free and fair election, the Chief Minister is busy dragging Gaurav Gogoi into baseless controversies,” Saikia said.
With the second phase of polling approaching, the Opposition's sharp attack on the BJP signals rising political tensions in state’s rural heartland.