GUWAHATI, Jan 10 � Accusing the BJP of serial U-turns and betraying the trust reposed by the people, the Congress party today exuded confidence of returning to power for a fourth consecutive term in the 2016 Assembly polls in Assam.
Thousands of people converged at the Veterinary College ground here to attend the �Rally Against Betrayal� organised by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC).
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the rally �is a proof of our strength and it proves that we will win the next elections. The rally has proved that Congressmen have self-confidence and determination. Storms do come once in a while, but Congress has the power to weather through the storm.�
Gogoi said, �No power on earth can decimate the Congress. The British regime could not do it. Does the BJP really believe it can finish off the Congress?�
He pointed out the BJP�s change in stance with regard to Indo-Bangladesh land swap deal, big dams, inflation and price rise, Land Acquisition Act and black money, among other issues.
�When we went for the land swap deal, they called us traitors. Then who is the traitor now? In every issue, they have taken a U-turn,� Gogoi said.
�The new Union government has halted recruitments in Central government jobs. But we will give jobs to our youths. That�s the difference between us and them. They are a party only interested in protecting the interest of the capitalist elements,� he said.
Gogoi said that during earlier Congress regimes at the Centre, poverty had fallen drastically and there was a huge jump in literacy rate and living standards. He said the new NDA regime has now stopped most of the welfare schemes.
APCC president Anjan Dutta said all Congress workers were united and there was no dissidence in the party. �We will give a fitting reply to the BJP in the coming civic polls and in the 2016 Assembly elections,� he said.
�Crude oil prices have fallen globally and so domestic prices of petrol and diesel are down as they are deregulated commodities. BJP cannot claim credit for it,� Dutta said.
He also alleged that despite a 55 per cent slump in global crude prices petrol is still selling at Rs 61 per litre minimum in India, and added that as per the fall in international market price, it should now be selling at only Rs 33 per litre.
�Why is petrol still so expensive? They have hiked excise rates three times since November. Oil companies are reaping the profits,� Dutta said.
He asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come out clearly about his views regarding the controversial statements of Sakshi Maharaj and other BJP leaders.
AICC general secretary and Assam in-charge Dr CP Joshi, who was also present at the rally, said that Modi has a hidden agenda. �They want to sabotage parliamentary democracy. Modi wants to erase the legacy of Pandit Nehru and emerge as an autocrat. But they will fail in their attempt to weaken the democratic institutions,� he said.
Joshi said an attempt had been made even earlier, during the AB Vajpayee regime�s days, to change the system into a presidential one.
