Guwahati, March 11 Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera asserted on Wednesday that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's "last-minute" initiatives, such as distributing money to women, will not help the BJP regain power in the state in the upcoming elections.
Addressing a press conference here, the All India Congress Committee Media and Communications chairman also alleged that the BJP government only works in the interests of its ministers, including the CM.
"Himanta Biswa Sarma had met a cleric in Dhaka before joining the BJP. I challenge him to deny it. He joined the BJP on the advice of that cleric," Khera claimed when asked about the saffron party's allegation against Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi's links with Pakistan.
There is no immediate response from the CM or the BJP on the accusation.
Sarma had left the Congress to join the BJP in 2015 and played a pivotal role in ensuring the saffron party's first victory in the Assembly polls the following year.
Khera expressed confidence that under the leadership of Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress and its allies will form the next government in the state and establish a 'new Assam model'.
A section of students never touch books throughout the year and begin studying only two or three days before the examinations, Khera said, claiming that the BJP government in Assam, led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, is now in a similar situation.
“With elections approaching, the government has started distributing Rs 9,000 among women. Flyovers are being hurriedly constructed and inaugurated. It has suddenly remembered the issue of proper wages for tea garden workers," he added.
The Assam government on Tuesday transferred Rs 9,000 each to 40 lakh women beneficiaries under the state government's flagship 'Orunodoi' scheme. On the same day, Sarma inaugurated the 4.2-km Maharaja Prithu Flyover in Guwahati. The state government also announced increasing the daily wage of tea garden workers by Rs 30 from next month.
Just as students who study only at the last moment often fail to pass well, similarly, even if the government distributes money before the elections, the BJP in Assam will not be able to form the government again, Khera asserted.
"Women in the state have already decided that they will no longer tolerate this corrupt and oppressive government," he added.
The assembly elections in the state are likely to be held in April.
Khera further alleged that the BJP and its government work only for the interests of ministers, including the CM, and prioritise the interests of their families above all else.
"No one can save Himanta Biswa Sarma after the elections, not even his masters sitting in Delhi. After the Assam assembly results are declared, he will be behind bars within weeks," he claimed.
The Congress leader claimed that the BJP’s 'Gujarat model' only benefited a select few individuals, the 'Assam model' under Gogoi will benefit every Assamese citizen.
Khera also strongly criticised the BJP government for circulating an alleged AI-generated image of modern roads on social media and claiming them to be roads in Assam.
"He claims Assam's roads have improved through AI, yet Assam still ranks third in the country in terms of poor road conditions," he claimed.
The Congress leader also alleged that the government has repeatedly resorted to falsehood, and it cannot deliver justice to Assam's beloved artist Zubeen Garg.
"Despite boasting about preparing a watertight charge sheet (in Garg’s death), the case was so poorly handled that the court had to order the unfreezing of the accused's bank account," he said.
Khera also criticised the government for spending public money on publicity, saying he saw more than a thousand banners featuring PM Narendra Modi and Sarma along the road from the airport.
"The BJP government spends nearly Rs 100 crore every year on such propaganda using taxpayers' money, meaning Rs 500 crore in five years. This money could have been used to generate jobs," he added.
Explaining why people should vote for Congress, Khera used the analogy of a flashy new shop versus an old, reliable outlet.
"Customers may initially be attracted to a dazzling new shop, but after being deceived a few times, they return to the old shop that offers quality products and honest service. The Congress is that reliable old shop," he added.