‘Overwhelming public support’: Sonowal confident of NDA crossing 90 seats

Guwahati, April 5: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win at least 90 seats in the ensuing Assembly election in Assam, claimed the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, Sonowal said that peace and development are the key issues for the BJP and that the State had witnessed unprecedented development in the last 10 years because of the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that he has been extensively campaigning for the NDA candidates, and everywhere the party is getting overwhelming support from the people.

Asked whether the Opposition alliance, headed by Congress, would affect the poll prospects of the NDA, Sonowal said that the Opposition alliance lacks ground-level workers. He said that the Opposition alliance is only discussed on social media and mainstream media.

However, to win elections, a party requires a strong ground-level base and workers, but none of the Opposition parties has that, he added.

Sonowal admitted that the beneficiary schemes would be of great help. Thousands of women received some benefit or the other from the BJP-led government, and that is why support from the women is very strong for the BJP.

He pointed out that around 90 per cent of the people attending the BJP rallies are women, which proves that the women of the State are with the NDA.

Many families have become self-reliant due to the various government schemes, while a large number of poor students are able to carry on their studies due to the government support. That creates a strong vote bank for the NDA, he added.

Regarding BJP members in certain constituencies of the State contesting as rebel candidates, Sonowal said it would not affect the prospects of the NDA, as the people know that their votes would be wasted if they vote for the rebels.

Asked why the NDA fielded two candidates against Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, Sonowal said that it was a strategic move. He said that the move was taken in consultation with the AGP. It may be mentioned here that the NDA first fielded Pradip Hazarika of the AGP in the Sivasagar constituency, but later also fielded Kushal Duori of the BJP.

Sonowal said that he campaigned in the Jorhat constituency, where Congress State unit president Gaurav Gogoi is contesting.

He claimed that the BJP candidate, Hitendra Nath Goswami, has a better chance of winning. Goswami is a highly respected person, and no one can bring any corruption charge against him. Moreover, he is the sitting MLA from the constituency, and the BJP has much more ground-level workers than the Congress in that constituency, he added.