Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley on Monday stated that the ruling Congress in Assam was facing 'double anti-incumbency' this election and the poll results were bound to reflect the people's desperate wish for a change of guard.
Addressing mediapersons in Guwahati, Jaitley said the BJP is focused on expanding its base and influence all over the state besides winning more seats in the assembly this time.
He also said BJP would become a major player in deciding the political agenda in Assam after the polls.
Jaitley, who visited several poll-bound constituencies in north and eastern Assam during the last two days, said, "The ruling Congress is Assam has no answer to the double anti-incumbency it is facing and has, therefore, resorted to ugly and vulgar show of wealth acquired through corrupt means. Some NGOs are agitating against the Congress rule of corruption in the state and we should try and address the issues they are flagging."
Referring to the tirade launched by an NGO called Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity against the corruption during the Congress rule, Jaitley said, "Congress should listen to the message rather than shoot the messenger."
"In the face of growing public ire against it, the Congress is left with only two ways to try winning the polls -- money power and the vote bank it has created over the years by encouraging illegal migration from Bangladesh putting the national security at stake," the BJP leader commented.
"A strong BJP is needed in Assam to defeat Congress and that is what we are trying to achieve," Jaitley said dropping hint that the saffron party was open to have ties with any other party apart from All Indian United Democratic Front top keep Congress at bay after the polls in Assam.
He pointed out that Congress had failed to win majority in assembly poll of 2006, but managed to form government in alliance, but this time the number of seats for Congress would further decrease and there was a wind for change blowing across the state.
When drawn to absence of any formal opposition alliance against Congress in the polls, the BJP leader said, "Opposition's unity is now secondary, but people are united against Congress and it will reflect in poll outcome."
He promised that the BJP was committed to ensure that the backward Assam and the rest of the Northeast were given their due share of national resources so that the region could be put on the fast track of development.
