GUWAHATI, April 3 � Peasant leader and general secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) Akhil Gogoi today appealed to the voters to exercise their franchise against the Congress party and flayed it for not identifying itself with the burning issues of big dams and price rise.
�The Congress party�s manifesto had nothing to say about the issue of big dams and price rise, which reflects their stance towards the common man�s problems,� Gogoi told media persons today at a press conference.
�I would like to appeal to the voters ahead of the first phase of elections tomorrow to take part in the polling in a big way to oust the Congress from power,� the RTI activist said, highlighting the scams that were unearthed during the Congress regime both at the Centre and at Dispur.
�Until and unless every village becomes self-sufficient, the very meaning of development would be an abstract one,� Gogoi said.
He also alleged that the Tarun Gogoi-led Government in the last ten years had succumbed to vested interest circles advocating privatization and that too at the cost of the welfare of the common man and therefore it did not deserve to be at the helm of affairs.
�Company Raj and Mafia Raj is what this Government has imposed on us in the last ten years,� he alleged.
He was also critical of the opposition parties which could not cash in on the issues highlighted by the Sangram Samity, stating, �The opposition parties would have to play a proactive role to oust the corrupt Congress Government.�
Asked whether it would have been ideal on his part to appeal to the voters to vote for the deserving candidate instead of him vouching for anti-Congress voting, the RTI activist reasoned, �If that is done many independent candidates would win and subsequently join the Congress. The concept of deserving candidate in today�s context is a bit abstract.�
