GMC polls: Bharatiya Janata Party aiming at wiping out Congress

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: With just three days left for the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) polls, electioneering in the city has reached a feverish pitch. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s election strategy is to wipe out the Congress and for this, apart from the Chief Minister, eight ministers, four Members of Parliament (MPs) and 18 Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are actively involved in the party's poll activities.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been campaigning in various wards of the city for the past 3-4 days. His poll mantra is that people should vote for the BJP-AGP alliance for the continued development of the city. Meanwhile, minister Ajanta Neog has been assigned to oversee poll activities in eight wards, Ashok Singhal in nine wards, Bimal Bora in six wards, Dr Ranoj Pegu in seven wards, Keshab Mahanta in six wards, Pijush Hazarika in 10 wards, Jogen Mohan in seven wards, and Sanjay Kishan in four wards. The BJP has formed a team from each ward.

There are 60 wards under GMC. The election for 57 wards is scheduled for April 22. In the remaining three wards (wards no 5, 6 and 22), the BJP candidates have won uncontested. The Congress has fielded candidates in 55 wards, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 39 wards and the AGP in seven wards.

The Congress' poll campaign centres round the civic problems faced by the residents of the city during the 7-8 years rule of the BJP. The BJP's poll agenda is to provide an impetus to the development and progress of the city and to make it a gateway to Southeast Asia. AAP, on the other hand, has been campaigning with the promise of bringing in a neat and transparent administration. The party's young brigade is leading the campaign.

In the last GMC polls held in 2013, the Congress had won in 18 wards, BJP in 12 wards and the AGP in one ward. At that time there were 31 wards under GMC. This time, the BJP wants to reduce the Congress' poll tally to zero wards. A total of 7.96 lakh voters will be casting their votes on April 22. The number of polling stations is 789.

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