Guwahati, April 23: Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday exuded confidence that the BJP-led NDA would bag over 12 Lok Sabha seats in Assam and more than 23 seats in the Northeast.
There are 25 parliamentary constituencies across eight states of the Northeast, of which 14 seats are in Assam.
Addressing a media conference in Silchar, the senior BJP leader and candidate for the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat, the elections of which were held during the first phase on April 19, said, “As the Narendra Modi-led NDA goes to poll to secure another historic mandate from the people, we are confident that we will a minimum of12 plus seats in Assam, with more than 23 seats in the Northeast.”
Sonowal made the poll prediction ahead of the second phase polls to be held in two parliamentary constituencies of Barak Valley – Karimganj and Silchar – along with three other Lok Sabha seats of Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri and Diphu on April 26.
Giving full credit to the “double-engine” BJP-led NDA government for the transformation of the transportation sector in the entire Barak region since 2014, the Union ports, shipping and waterways minister said that the BJP adhered to a focused approach to improve all forms of transportation, be it road, railways, airways or waterways, to bring about positive transformation.
Sonowal further recounted the deplorable conditions of the road network in the region that people endured during the “gnawing apathy of successive Congress governments”.
“Thanks to the double-engine government, the road network in the Barak Valley has transformed tremendously. This is not just limited to the main highways, but the roads in villages and interiors have also improved considerably. We must not forget how successive Congress governments let the roads of the valley crumble in gnawing neglect for years,” he said.
Calling the people of the valley to cast their vote for development, the senior BJP leader said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a plethora of ambitious projects have been undertaken to enhance connectivity throughout Northeast India, with a substantial allocation exceeding Rs 5.50 lakh crore. This concerted effort has materialised the longstanding aspirations of the people of Barak Valley.”
“I firmly believe that our candidate Parimal Suklabaidya will secure victory in Silchar by a significant margin. This electoral season, the BJP-led NDA is poised to surpass 400 seats nationwide, and we are confident about it. I call upon the people of the Barak Valley to vote for the development and growth that one has been experiencing since 2014,” he said.