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Cong misused public funds during polls: Sonowal

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, May 10 - The war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress over the election expenses continued today with the State BJP president Sarbananda Sonowal hitting out against Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on the issue. Meanwhile, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) said that �respectable positions� should be given to the party if the alliance Government comes to power.

Sonowal told The Assam Tribune today that the Chief Minister was making comments on the election expenses of the BJP out of �frustration�. He alleged that it was the Congress, which misused public funds for election campaign. He pointed out that even after the election notification was issued, the Congress went on distributing materials like mosquito nets, blankets etc among the voters in clear violation of the model code of conduct. That practice stopped only after the BJP lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission.

The State BJP president further alleged that Congress men were caught with money in different parts of the State in the run up to the day of the voting.

However, Sonowal did not give the details of the poll expenses of the BJP and only said, �The BJP contested the elections with the money provided voluntarily by the people of Assam, who are fed up with the misrule of the Congress and want a change.�

It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi recently questioned the source of the election funds of the BJP.

Meanwhile, the AGP today said that �respectable positions� should be given to the regional party if the BJP led alliance comes to power.

AGP president Atul Bora said that they were confident of the fact that the alliance led by the BJP would come to power. He said that the people of the State voted for a change as they were fed up with the misrule and corruption of the Congress.

Bora said that the AGP is keen on joining the Government instead of supporting it from outside. But at the same time, he said that �respectable positions� should be given to the AGP in the Government. He, however, admitted that the AGP is yet to discuss the issue of composition of the Government with the BJP and the issue would be discussed only after the declaration of the election results.

The AGP president also ruled out the possibility of creation of a third front after the declaration of the poll results.

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