Tinsukia/Dhemaji (Assam), March 29 BJP chief Nitin Nabin asserted on Sunday that the party will achieve a hat-trick in Assam by forming the government for the third consecutive term.
Addressing an election rally in support of Margherita candidate and sitting BJP MLA Bhaskar Sharma, Nabin also criticized the previous Congress governments for allegedly engaging in vote-bank politics instead of developing the state, and said it was necessary to remember the "dark chapter".
"The BJP is aiming for a hat-trick after the assembly elections. We first formed the government under Sarbananda Sonowal's leadership, followed by Himanta Biswa Sarma's tenure. This time, we will form our third government under Sarma's leadership," he said.
Nabin said he has been visiting Assam since 2009-10 for various party activities and has extensively travelled across the state.
"We need to remember the dark chapter. At that time, there was no talk of development at all. There was tension. People used to discuss only violence and agitation," he claimed.
However, the entire situation changed after the BJP-led NDA came to power in 2016, and the entire nation started talking about Assam's development, the BJP chief asserted.
"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Assam has become a state of opportunities," he added.
Nabin also said that the previous state government, led by the Congress, only worked for vote-bank politics and did not create any milestones in the state during its tenure.
The BJP national president further said that its government works only for the people of the country, and not for the infiltrators.
"We do not form governments for the infiltrators. Only the people of Assam and the country have all the rights in the state, not the illegal immigrants. Our government will protect the mothers and sisters of Assam, and will never compromise with the infiltrators," he added.
Nabin said the BJP government took bold steps for the nation's security, Assam's identity, and eliminating corruption from the system.
"No one from the Opposition could level any corruption charges against any minister in the last 12 years. This is how the BJP functions," he claimed.
The BJP leader said that the previous Congress government had neither any policy nor clear intentions to work for Assam.
"For them, the population of the country was a challenge. But PM Modi says 140 crore people are his strength and inspiration," he added.
Talking about the war situation in West Asia, Nabin alleged that a few are spreading rumours that essential goods will not be available in the coming days.
"Be assured that the Narendra Modi government will take the country forward in a normal atmosphere despite global instability. The PM assured in Parliament that the government will not let the public face any difficulty," he said, while mentioning the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mentioning various schemes being implemented by the BJP government, Nabin claimed that people from the Northeast once used to say that their "wards had gone to India when they went for studying in Delhi or other parts of the country".
"The youth of Assam had to escape from the state for education and jobs. That situation has completely changed and nobody talks like that anymore. People now believe that the Northeast is part of India; it is India. Also, lots of education and job opportunities have been created, and youths nowadays don't go out of the state," he added.
Elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held on April 9. Votes will be counted on May 4.
This will be the first assembly election after the delimitation exercise, which was done in 2023.
Currently, the ruling BJP's strength in the Assam assembly is 64, while its allies AGP has nine MLAs, UPPL has seven and BPF has three members.
In the Opposition camp, the Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF has 15 members and CPI(M) has one MLA. There is one Independent legislator as well.