Guwahati: Taking a dig at ‘NaMo Chai’, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday said branding tea in the name of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was an insult to world famous Assam tea and the people of the state.
“Modi tea is an insult to the world famous Assam tea. It is an insult to Assam. It is an insult to the people of Assam,” he told a press conference here.
Gogoi said Assam tea was known for its flavour and variety, but not ‘Modi tea’.
As part of its poll campaign, BJP was trying to cash in on Modi’s tea seller background by serving tea as ‘NaMo Chai’ at various poll-related functions.
The move had attracted the ire of the Uttar Pradesh Election Commission which objected to the party serving free tea to influence voters and also taken note of Modi’s ‘Chai pe Charcha’ programme.
Gogoi also alleged that Modi was communal and BJP was responsible for demolition of Babri Masjid.
“He (Modi) is also trying to divide the Barak Valley from Brahmaputra Valley…He doesn’t have trust in democracy. He is spreading hatred,” he added.
Speaking about the Congress’ expectation in Assam during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Gogoi said, “All indications say that we will do better this time than the last elections. We are fully prepared. We did very good in 2011 Assembly elections also.”
Congress had won 7 out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam in 2009 and 79 seats of the 126 Assembly seats in the 2011.
“We have done well in almost all recent polls in the state. Congress did well in elections in panchayats, district councils, other development councils and Guwahati Municipal Corporation,” he said.
He, however, accepted that the party did not perform well in polls in Mising and Rabha councils.
Gogoi also denied dissidence in the party and reports that it could affect his party’s poll prospects.
“There is no dissident in the party. We will fight together and will win with huge margins,” he said.
On giving ticket to his son Gaurav from Kaliabor seat, Gogoi said, “My son has been working on the ground for the last two years. He has worked in panchayats during floods. He has not got ticket for nothing.” (PTI)