Congress joins hands with communal parties to win polls: Nadda

Guwahati: BJP national President J.P. Nadda said on Friday that the Congress always accuses the BJP of being a communal party, but for the Assembly elections in Kerala and Assam, the grand old party has itself alligned with the communal forces to win the polls.

Addressing three rallies ahead of the third and final phase of Assembly elections in Assam scheduled on April 6, Nadda said that the Congress has joined hands with communal parties - with the Muslim League in Kerala and with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in Assam.

Along with Assam, the 140-member Kerala Assembly will go to the polls in a single phase on April 6. All results will be declared on May 2.

"The Congress has no policy, no ideological aim or honesty as the party is fighting against the CPI-M in Kerala, but it has forged an alliance with the Left in West Bengal and Assam," the BJP chief said while addressing election rallies at Chandmari, Patacharkuchi and Boko under the newly created Bajali district.

Assam BJP President Ranjeet Kumar Dass (54) and Asom Gana Parishad leader Jyoti Prasad Das (59) are locked in multi-corner contests in Patacharkuchi and Boko Assembly constituencies, respectively.

Nadda claimed that Assam witnessed unprecedented terrorist violence during the Congress regime that killed thousands of civilians and security personnel.

"Under the dynamic leadership and initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, several thousand militants have surrendered and deposited over 4,000 assault rifles, leading to restoration of peace in Assam after a long time," he said, adding that a Rs 1,500 crore package was also announced for the Bodoland areas.

Asserting that Assam would be made an 'Aatmanirbhar' state by rejuvenating the economy of the rural areas and patronising the poultry, piggery, cottage industries and various other livelihood schems, the saffron party leader said that the BJP government would make a new Assam after the party returns to power for a second term on May 2.

He said that to empower the women under the state's biggest flagship scheme 'Orunodoi', the monthly payments of Rs 830 would be increased to Rs 3,000 covering 30 lakh deserving families.

Detailing the party's election manifesto, Nadda said that it has promised to strengthen and protect 'Namghars' and 'Satras' (traditional Vaishnavite monasteries of Assam) and grants of up to Rs 2.5 lakh will be provided to these traditional institutes.

Introduced by Srimanta Sankardeva, Namghars, literally meaning prayer house, are places for congregational worship associated with the entire Assamese community and the Ekasarana sect of Hinduism, in particular, which is native to Assam.

Accusing the Congress of neglecting Assam, Nadda said that the state's gas royalty was pending for many years with the Central government, but Modi after becoming the Prime Minister sanctioned Rs 8,000 crore gas royalty within a week.

"Assam received three-four times more financial assistance from the BJP-led Central government than what it had received during the Congress regime," Nadda said.