Guwahati:

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has put the Congress on alert – even earlier than the Lok Sabha outcomes are declared – warning his former celebration that a number of, if not all, of its profitable candidates within the state will bounce ship to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s facet shortly after the election.

Mr Sarma’s jab on the Congress – his message to voters was that there’s, due to this fact, no level in voting for the opposition celebration – got here as he began his marketing campaign from Assam’s Karimganj district.

“The query is whether or not a Congress candidate will stay in Congress or not. Now, nobody needs to remain in Congress… everybody needs to affix the BJP. This time, if I can carry all Congress candidates… then what would be the advantage of voting for Congress?” the Assam Chief Minister advised reporters.

Mr Sarma laid credit score for cross-overs at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s toes, proclaiming, “PM is the Solar, and we’re the Moon”, and claimed opposition leaders “are ours… if we name, they may be part of us”.

“Modiji will once more change into Prime Minister and there’s no query about who’s a ‘minority’ and ‘majority’. There’ll solely be ‘sabka saath sabka vikas‘ (‘growth with all, for all’, the BJP’s tagline). There isn’t any opposition. They’re ours and if we name, then they may be part of us,” he mentioned.

The Assam chief made comparable claims in November 2020; that was earlier than the Meeting election wherein the BJP-led alliance dominated, profitable 75 of the state’s 126 seats. The BJP gained 60 of 93.

“Earlier than polls, individuals change political positions and there are a couple of good leaders nonetheless within the Congress in Assam. I’ve invited them to affix the BJP. I’m in contact with a lot of them…” he mentioned then.

Mr Sarma himself joined the BJP from the Congress in 2015, after sharp swipes at celebration leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. He was seen then because the mastermind of the Congress’ hat-trick of wins from 2001 to 2011, however fell out after being missed for the Chief Minister’s submit.

ARCHIVES | In Assam, Congress’ Himanta Sarma Will Be part of BJP Quickly

The 2024 election dates have been introduced by the Election Fee of India on Saturday. Assam – which sends 14 MPs to the Lok Sabha – will vote in seven phases from April 19.

In 2019 the BJP contested 10 of these 14 and gained 9. The saffron celebration’s allies – the Asom Gana Parishad and the Bodoland Folks’s Entrance contested 4 however did not win any.

Three have been gained by the Congress. The AIUDF and an unbiased lawmaker gained one every.

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