GUWAHATI, May 16 � As the saffron wave swept the entire country on the backdrop of a Narendra Modi-led blitzkrieg, in Guwahati the head offices of various political parties showed contrasting scenes.
While the BJP head office at Hengrabari witnessed frenzied crowd footfall throughout the day, the other parties� offices wore a deserted look for much time of the day.
In Hengrabari, party workers started thronging the BJP State head office since early morning and as the ballot counting progressed and the saffron wave started becoming evident, the atmosphere reached a crescendo.
BJP leaders said almost one lakh workers visited the office during the day and there was hardly space to put one�s feet at the place.
There was almost a kilometer-long traffic jam near the place by mid-afternoon when the result of the Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency poured in.
There was gulal in the air and beating of drums and musical instruments and dancing by enthusiastic workers.
�The result is on account of Modiji�s leadership together with a dynamic vision and a unique campaign style. The people of Assam have contributed to the national effort by giving us a majority of seats from the State,� BJP general secretary Santanu Bharali told The Assam Tribune, shouting over the sound of dhools and other instruments.
The BJP head office, being a little distance from the main road, does not have much space for parking even during a normal day. Today, the entire ground at the forecourt was filled with mediapersons and party members.
�The people were fed up with the decade-long corruption and misgovernance of the UPA government. This, along with Modiji�s leadership and campaign has brought about the change,� said BJP worker Gautam Bora, who was at the office with his friend Ankur Bora, since the morning.
Among the most enthusiastic was former State Minister and Dispur strongman Atul Bora, who was seen shaking his legs and body to the tune of Bihu songs with his party comrades.
�Now the job for us is to consolidate our organization in the State and strengthen it further so that we can replicate the success in the 2016 Assembly polls,� said BJP members Hiranya Hazarika.
In contrast, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) head office at Rajiv Bhavan saw a trickle of leaders during the morning hours. However, by afternoon most of them have left and there were more security personnel than party workers by late afternoon.
Similar was the case at the AGP office in Ambari where only a few leaders and workers were seen.
At the AIUDF head office at Hatigaon, a few party members were found watching the news in TV. However, they were upbeat with the party having managed to increase its tally to three seats from one during the last elections.
�We were hoping for 4 to 5 seats but three is also satisfactory. Basically, BJP and NDA have benefitted from Congress� misrule. There has been polarization during voting,� said AIUDF leader Aminul Islam.
The party is also confident that its success in the Lok Sabha polls will be replicated in the next Assembly elections.
