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Close contest for 2 RS seats today

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, March 25 � With a few hours remaining for the election to the two Rajya Sabha (RS) seats of the State, the Cong-ress today flexed its muscle claiming more legislators� support to its can-didates than what is required provoking the Opposition to charge the ruling party of resorting to horse-trading. �The Congress has created a crisis for the Indian democracy,� Opposition leaders alleged.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has vouched its support to Jayanta Baruah, while the CPI has described the act of defection by some Opposition members as �mistake.�

Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed this afternoon that four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), three All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and equal number of Independent legislators along with one legislator from each of Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), had assured the Chief Minister their support to Congress� nominees.

Sarma, who was talking to newspersons, after the day�s session of the State Assembly, also said that the whole of today�s night was there for the Congress to add to the number of its supporters.

Earlier, the State Government made four announcements in the Legislative Assembly suggesting formation of a Ministerial Committee to study the issue of more autonomy to Karbi Anglong and formation of three development councils within the next two months, for the socio-economic development of Maimals (Muslim Fisherman), Naths and Bishnupriya Manipuris.

Later, addressing a joint press conference, Leader of the Opposition Chandra Mohan Patowary, AIUDF�s Ataur Rahman Majarbhuyan, BJP�s Mission Ranjan Das and Independent Legislator Bhuban Pegu charged the Congress of resorting to horse-trading to win the RS election.

Though the announcement for formation of the Ministerial Committee and development councils should have been welcomed, the timing of the announcements is questionable, they said.

This is a clear case of alluring the Opposition members and the Congress has used the floor of the Assembly to trap votes for its RS nominees. For the past about nine years, the Congress had no time to think for the development of the Maimals, Naths and Bishnupriya Manipuris belonging to the Other Backward Classes.

Moreover, for the resolution of militancy in Karbi Anglong, the Congress has chosen a day that precedes the election to the RS. This proves that the Congress has been using militancy for its political survival, the Opposition leaders alleged.

All these pose serious threat to democratic tradition of the country and the Congress is also undermining the role of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with its invectives against whips proposed by the Opposition, they said.

Describing the Congress acts as unethical, they said that the ruling party had now started claiming support of adequate number of legislators. But a few days back, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that his party did not enjoy the support of required number of legislators to get both of its candidates elected. �We leave the issue to the people for their decision,� said the Opposition leaders.

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