GUWAHATI, Jan 8 � The two-day Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national executive held for the first time in the State capital kicked off on Saturday with a rousing welcome in traditional style to the delegates that included all the senior leaders of the party right from its president Nitin Gadkari, senior leader Lal Krishna Advani, leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
The national executive presided over by Nitin Gadkari made the commitment of a North East India 2025 Vision Document and the draft of this vision document will be released by the end of February.
The meeting dwelt on several burning issues of the country like terrorism, corruption, inflation and particularly referred to the North East, its challenges and possibilities of growth.
Gadkari referring to Assam by its ancient name Pragjyotishpur said that the New Year will herald a new beginning for the State and he called upon all the members of the party to work with dedication for this new beginning.
"We in the BJP believe that the hunger for development of the North East has not been given due importance by the UPA and all other Congress governments at the Centre earlier," Gadkari remarked.
Referring to the forthcoming Assembly elections, Gadkari appealed to the people of the State to give the BJP a chance promising that the party will not only prevent infiltration but will take strong measures to expel all those who are not citizens of India and are living illegally in the State. He also assured the party's support to the six communities in the State demanding ST status.
With Assam gearing up for the Assembly elections, the senior leaders seemed upbeat of a positive result coming the way of the party.
Sushma Swaraj and Venkaiah Naidu expressed their optimism that a change is going to happen in the State in favour of the BJP.
Sushma Swaraj asserted that the BJP will definitely win the Assam Assembly elections. "The BJP has won in Bihar and definitely it will win the Assembly elections in Assam," she said just before the meeting started.
On the other hand, Varun Gandhi, who is also the party's election observer for the State said that the party's poll strategy is clear � it will woo the voters of Assam with the development agenda. Varun informed that the candidates� list of the party is almost final and will be released by the end of this month. "The party has set integrity, commitment to progress and ability as the benchmark for candidate selection and we are hopeful that this will boost the party's image as well help in poll gain," he said appealing to all section of the population to vote for a positive change in the State.
Arun Jaitley said that the people of Assam wanted a change and that the BJP would fulfill the aspirations of the people.
Later in the day, Gadkari inaugurated an exhibition held at the veterinary ground, Khanapara.
Talking to media persons there, Gadkari said that the party is open to all anti-Congress forces to oust the Congress party from Dispur.
The exhibition, while on one hand, highlighted the scams that made headlines in the year 2010, it also tried to showcase the development taking place in all the seven BJP-rule State.
