Infiltration BJP's poll plank in Asom

Guwahati, Mar 23 (UNI) Infiltration from Bangladesh will be the BJP's main poll plank for the coming Asom Assembly election.

Releasing the party manifesto at the Press Club here today, state party president Indramoni Bora said his party would start implementing its election promises, if voted to power.

''It might not be possible for us to build a 'Sonar Asom' overnight, but we will definitely start working for the development of the state,'' he said.

The party vowed to fight the infiltration problem if it came to power in the state, he said, adding ''that the illegal migration problem was ''a grave issue for the entire country and more so for Asom. We will take strict measures to ensure that the influx stops.'' He said the party would press for the upgradation of the National Register of Citizens and ensure that the scrapped IM (DT) Act was not brought in ''any other guise.'' The BJP would also press for a National Register of villages in Asom to determine the citizenship status of the 3269 villages, which had come up between 1961 to 1991.

''The party would ensure that no further division of the state takes place and various movements demanding separate states carved out from the existing geographical boundary of Asom are checked,'' he asserted.

The BJP, would also take sincere steps to solve the decades old insurgency problem through political dialogue.

Mr Bora said employment avenues in various sectors would be explored by the party and emphasis would be given on the development of the farmers and the agricultural sector.

The party would also lay stress on decentralisation of power and work for the overall economic progress of the state.

Mr Bora reiterated the party's commitment to ensuring development of the state in the power, education, health, culture and sports sectors.

In an attempt to placate the ethnic communities, the state president said the BJP had given tickets to members of those communities and had also given nomination to 16 women, the highest among all the political parties.

UNI SG-MT SJC VD DB1821