Guwahati, Jan 28: Ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, the ruling BJP in Assam and Congress, the principal Opposition party are at loggerheads, with either claiming a good show in the polls which are scheduled in March.
Speaking to mediapersons on Friday, Assam BJP president Bhabesh Kalita claimed that the BJP-led alliance would clinch both the Rajya Sabha seats from the state as the “Mahajot (Grand Alliance of Opposition parties led by Congress ahead of the Assembly polls) has crumbled.”
“There is no Mahajot now. Let the Election Commission of India announce the date for the Rajya Sabha polls, let the process start… we will see where the Opposition goes then,” Kalita asserted.
Former Congressman, and now BJP MLA from Thowra, Sushanta Borgohain said that had there been unity among the Opposition parties, then there could have been a contest with the ruling alliance.
“But there is no unity among the Opposition parties, be it Congress or AIUDF, which is moving in another direction. BPF has already expressed its willingness to resume ties with the ruling alliance. So, the Opposition’s strength has been reduced,” Borgohain observed.
On the contrary, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president, Bhupen Kumar Borah said that the Rajya Sabha elections would be an agni pariksha (trial by fire) for the anti-BJP legislators. “We are certain that they would clear the agni pariksha,” Borah said.
The APCC had recently constituted a seven-member committee to discuss and finalise candidates for the ensuing Rajya Sabha elections.
“The committee will discuss with all anti-BJP MLAs and submit a report in regard to selection of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections,” the APCC chief had earlier said.
Two seats of Rajya Sabha in Assam will fall vacant once the terms of Congress MPs, Ranee Narah and Ripun Bora, are completed on April 22, 2022.
IANS
