Congress challenges BJP for fresh polls in Assam

GUWAHATI: The Congress party in Assam on Friday tried to belittle the ruling BJP’s claim that the saffron party would win 100 seats in the next Assembly election in Assam to be held in 2021 terming it a ‘baseless’ assertion, challenging the opposition to hold fresh election in the state.
Senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, during a BJP rally held at Jagiroad in Assam earlier on Friday in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), stated that the party would emerge stronger after 2021 Assembly election wining more 100 seats while criticising the opposition Congress for misleading people on CAA through a misinformation campaign.
“The people of Assam are with us as they know that CAA will not endanger the Assamese language, culture, and identity,” Sarma said.
However, on Friday veteran Congress leader and former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi raised question about the basis for Sarma’s assertion of winning 100 seats in 2021 election and dared the saffron party to hold fresh election in the state right now if it was so confident of its prospects.
“What is the basis for Himanta’s such a claim? How will they win 100 seats? He should see what the BJP had faced in Maharashtra and Jharkhand recently,” Gogoi said while addressing the media in Guwahati.
“Only way the BJP can win in 2021 is by scrapping the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA),” Gogoi added.
“If he (Sarma) is so sure about 2021 then the BJP can win the election right now as well. Then why not have the election right now instead of waiting till 2021?” Gogoi said.