Asom CM confident of sweeping panchayat polls

Mangaldai, May 11 (UNI) Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today exuded confidence of winning the Panchayat elections convincingly and reiterated the Congress' commitment to the cause of the people.

Addressing a meeting here, held to launch the party's Panchayat poll campaign in Darrang district, Mr Gogoi said, '' The state has seen considerable development during the Congress rule. We assure of fulfilling all our election promises to lead the state on the path of development. '' ''We have many problems like poverty, unemployment and terrorism.

The government is doing its best to solve them,'' he added.

Alleging that the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) failed to do anything worthwhile for the state during its tenures, the Chief Minister said, ''They worked only for their own development, not for the state.'' He said the Congress was confident of winning the panchayat election.

State party in-charge Digvijay Singh, who also attended the meeting, said Asom's development would receive a major boost as the Congress was in the saddle in the state as well as at the Centre and even the Prime Minister was himself a representative of the state.

Mr Singh accused the AGP and BJP of making an issue out of the IM(DT) Act in the state even after the Supreme Court verdict.

He said, ''No Indian would be harassed, the Congress will give full protection to the Indians living in the state. '' He also cautioned the paramilitary forces to ensure that innocent people were not harassed during the anti-insurgency operation.

District Congress president Majibur Rahaman informed that 17,431 members of the AUDF, AGP and BJP joined the Congress last week.

UNI