Cong to harp on development and peace plank : Gogoi

Guwahati, Jan 19 (PTI) Assam''s ruling Congress willbank on the twin plank of ''development and peace'' to win theupcoming assembly elections for the third consecutive term,Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said today.

"We have not based our optimism on mere rhetoric andare confident of winning the elections for the third straightterm as we were able to bring in a surge of development andensure peace in Assam during the past nine-and-a-half years ofCongress rule," Gogoi told reporters on the sidelines of afunction here.

"I would say the opposition, more particularly theAGP and the BJP, have acquired doctorate degrees in spreadingcanards and indulging in false propaganda against ourgovernment," the 76-year-old chief minister, back after atriple-heart surgery, said.

About growth in the health, education, agriculture andinfrastructure sectors, Gogoi said Assam had witnessed visibledevelopment during the Congress regime.

"During the AGP rule from 1985 to 1989 and 1996 to2001, state government employees hardly got their salaries ontime while all government recruitments were stopped. And thebiggest achievement has been improvement on the law and orderfront," he said.

"Almost all the militant groups are in peace mode withthe overall situation improving manifold. Peace now is thecatchword, coupled with issues relating to development aswell," Gogoi said.

Elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly isscheduled in the May.