Ahead of Assam poll schedule, Amit Shah says BJP will return with record numbers

HOurs before the Election direction’s promulgation of the canvass schedule on lord's day, unification home minister Amit Shah said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Assam will return to power with a record mandate in the upcoming assembly elections.Shah, who was on a two-day visit to the state beginning Saturday, addressed a gathering of the BJP’s youth workers in Guwahati. “Nearly 125,000 youths from 31,400 polling booths from across Assam are present in the meeting today... The outcome of any election can be gauged from the gathering of any party’s youth workers,” he said.“The Maha Kumbh of youths in Guwahati today makes it clear that in the coming election the government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma will come to power. I can easily predict that BJP will achieve a record majority in this election,” he added.Also Read: Students should be able to study medicine in India, needn’t go abroad: Amit ShahVoting to elect 126 new members of the Assam assembly is expected to take place in the first half of next month, and the BJP, which came to power in 2016 and 2021, is trying to retain power for a third consecutive term.Five years ago, the party secured 60 seats and formed the government with the support of allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL).“Anyone who sees today’s gathering can easily presume what will be the status of parties opposing us in the next election,” Shah said, listing the state government’s achievements in the past five years, including providing 165,000 government jobs against a promise of 100,000 made in 2021.“Did anyone have to pay any bribe or secure recommendation from any leaders to get jobs and not a single court case (alleging irregularities in appointments) was filed. This is an indication of how BJP runs governments,” he added.Shah accused past Congress governments of not respecting Assam’s language, heritage and culture and of failing to curb terror outfits. He highlighted how peace deals with various armed groups in the past five years led to the surrender of arms by over 10,800 youths and brought peace across the state after decades.He blamed the Congress for encouraging illegal infiltrators for vote bank politics and assured that once the BJP returns to power in Assam for the third time, they will be detained and deported not just from the state but from every corner of the country.“Can Congress act against illegal infiltrators? Only BJP can make Assam infiltrator-free. Congress had legalised, formalised and normalised illegal infiltrators, but we have taken a resolve to throw them out,” said Shah while lauding the state government for evicting illegal settlers from 49,500 acres of encroached government and forest land.