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SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: BJP's national president JP Nadda kicked off the poll campaign here on Monday with the hope that the Sarbananda Sonowal and company would retain power in the State.
This is Nadda's maiden visit to Silchar. There was a massive gathering in the sprawling auditorium at the Police Parade ground here.
Repeated applauses from the crowd added punch to his expectations that the BJP – which is on a winning wicket across the country – would repeat its performance in Assam as well.
The gathering kept on cheering as Nadda recounted the series of developmental works going on in Assam under the BJP-led government.
"Most important is Narendra Modiji as Prime Minister who has been working hard to protect the distinct identity, culture and language of Assam and preventing influx from outside by taking foolproof measures," said Nadda.
He added, "The people of the entire country feel safe with the BJP and that makes the party stronger. Narendra Modiji is taking the country ahead by taking all into confidence without any discrimination.
"He has especially focused on Assam and the Northeast to remove the tag of backwardness. Gopinath Bordoloi and Bhupen Hazarika have been honoured with 'Bharat Ratna'. Both the great sons of Assam were neglected by the UPA regime.
"It was Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji who came forward to support the Assam Movement, describing it as historic. A total of six tribal groups have been accorded the ST (Scheduled Tribe) status – a bold step of the NDA. The five-decade-long Bodo movement has been solved, insurgents surrendered and resettled with Rs 1,500-crore package without disturbing the territorial integrity of Assam – an achievement that the Congress never dared to do."
Chanting "Apna Desh, Apna Mati," Nadda said, "It's under the NDA that the development projects were taken up on a priority basis. The Bogibeel Bridge over the Bahamputra was completed. The Rs 50,000-crore gas cracker project is now a reality. A world-class AIIMS involving Rs 100 crore for Assam has been sanctioned; eight medical colleges have come up; 15 national highways and 31 roads have been upgraded to highways – and this has changed the connectivity scenario in the State."
On the other development schemes, Nadda said, "The rural areas of the State are developing: 35 lakh toilets, 'Dhan Jan Yojana' with Rs 44 crore, 35 lakh free gas connections, 2.60 crore new electricity connections tell the story of changes."
Nadda added, "I feel proud to be a part of the Modi team. During the UPA, the projects taken up never saw the end of the tunnel."
Nadda further said, "The leaders of the BJP in Assam are working hand in hand to push forward the development agenda. It is this emphasis on 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Bikash and Sabka Biswas' which has brought victory to the BJP in the recent elections – be it Assembly, Parliament, Gaon Panchayat, Zila Parishad or Autonomous Councils.
"The most surprising has been the victory of the BJP in the Gaon Panchayat elections of Rajasthan, and that too in the peak of famers' agitation and the emergence of BJP as the single largest party in the Zila Parishad elections of Jammu-Kashmir."
Among those sharing the dais with Nadda were Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Education and Finance Himanta Biswa Sarma, party State president Ranjeet Kumar Dass, among others.
Both Chief Minister Sonowal and Minister Sarma said that the BJP government alone is capable of bringing about development for all in valleys of Barak and Brahmaputra. They added that for decentralization of power, a mini secretariat with eight departments along with the respective Commissioner's offices is coming up at Silchar. An agriculture university is also on the anvil.
The gathering of the BJP's first election rally under the banner of 'Bijoy Sankalp Samavesh' took the pledge to work for the BJP and vote for the BJP.