GUWAHATI, Jan 23 � Asserting that the people would vote the Congress to power for a third successive term, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that the State was progressing in the right direction with different sectors recording substantial development.
Gogoi, who was addressing a party rally of booth Congress presidents at the Khanapara Veterinary College playground, used the occasion to tom-tom the Congress government's achievements in the past ten years as also to castigate the opposition AGP and BJP.
"The Congress differs from parties like the AGP or BJP in that it does not seek self-promotion through power, as the interest of the masses � especially the poor sections � is of paramount importance for us. People have faith in us because we have delivered in keeping with our pre-poll promises," Gogoi said.
The Chief Minister said that the Congress has a history of working for development and recent progress achieved on fronts such as rural development, health, education, agriculture testified to that.
"Sectors such as rural development, agriculture, health, education, etc., have witnessed a lot of progress. Infrastructure in the form of roads and bridges have come up," he said, adding that true development had to be all-encompassing and a city-centric approach secluding the villages would never result in progress.
Claiming that the Congress Government had been able to restore peace and normalcy in the State, Gogoi said that the party had inherited a disturbed and economically depleted State from the AGP but that with adequate thrust on development, the Government was able to put Assam back on the path of progress and peace.
"The sole interest of the AGP was to achieve power and promote their self-interest. During its two regimes it did very little for the State and the people and that is why it was rejected by the people," he said, adding that even during the Assam movement the AGP leaders were not sincere as they rejected then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's proposal for the cut-off year for deportation of infiltrators during the early stage of the agitation simply because they had not attained the age to contest election.
Asserting that the Congress was more committed to deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators than the AGP or BJP, the Chief Minister said that it was during the Congress rule that different measures were strengthened for checking infiltration and deporting illegal foreigners.
Terming the earlier 'India Shining' campaign of the BJP as a flop show, Gogoi said that it was voted out of power at the Centre because it lost the people's faith. He also criticized the party for maintaining links with the hardliner RSS.
Accusing the AGP of having a hand in the infamous 'secret killings', Gogoi said that such a black chapter had no precedence in the history of the nation.
Gogoi said that the people of Assam were a politically conscious lot, and no amount of false propaganda from the Opposition would mislead them. "People have seen our performance and will vote us to power again." He said.
Several other ministers also addressed the gathering.
