GUWAHATI: Former Assam chief minister, Tarun Gogoi lambasted Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) for reuniting with the ruling BJP while taking potshots at National People’s Party (NPP), terming it the “B” team of BJP.
Addressing the media here on Thursday, Gogoi said the AGP has not only betrayed the people but also undermined indigenous interests for the sake of power.
“This (AGP) is a shameless, opportunist party which has sacrificed the interests of the people of Assam for the sake of power,” the senior Congress leader said in the wake of three AGP leaders rejoining the Sonowal ministry on Wednesday.
To a question on NPP launching its unit in Assam and gearing up to contest the Lok Sabha elections in the state, Gogoi said that the Conrad-Sangma-led party was the “B” team of the BJP and would be in the poll fray only to “spoil some votes”.
He doubted the sincerity of NPP’s stand against Citizenship Amendment Bill saying, “I have my doubts about the party’s stand against the Bill. However, Congress has been firmly against CAB from the outset.”
Gogoi further said the BJP could not win the Lok Sabha elections in the state and was therefore reuniting with AGP.
“No matter what tall claims the BJP leaders make, they know they would have to take AGP on board to improve their chances of winning,” he said.
The veteran Congressman said the people of Assam also know that the BJP has failed to live up to its pre-poll promise of protecting indigenous people. “This is a party buried deep in corruption in various sectors. It does not have any identity and has followed the British policy of divide and rule to wrest power,” he alleged.
Gogoi said the Congress was not intimidated by BJP and AGP contesting the polls together and that it only wanted to expose the “motives” of the two parties ahead of the parliamentary elections.
He claimed that Congress would win at least 10 of the 14 parliamentary seats in Assam.
