Development and direct benefit schemes to help NDA win Assam Polls: Sonowal
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also dismissed claims of BJP divisions, accused Congress of past misgovernance, and asserted NDA win in Assam Assembly polls.
A file image of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal (Photo: @InvGurInd/X)
Guwahati, Feb 19: The Government of India has spent Rs 5.2 lakh crore in the last ten years for the development of Assam, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said.
In an interview with The Assam Tribune, Sonowal said that the Congress regime pushed the State and other parts of the North East into darkness. But the situation has now changed after Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister.
After a long time, peace has been restored in Assam. Visible development has taken place in all spheres of life, and the people’s confidence in the NDA has increased.
When asked whether the schemes launched by the Government will help the NDA, Sonowal said that earlier, there were also schemes. But a major chunk of the money was siphoned off by the middlemen.
But the Prime Minister decided to go for direct bank transfer of money, and now money is transferred directly to the accounts of the beneficiaries.
That is why the beneficiaries of different Government schemes are getting 100 per cent benefit, and that will help the NDA in the ensuing State Assembly polls, he added.
On the reports that the BJP in Assam was a divided house, Sonowal said that it was Congress propaganda. He said that for any BJP member, the nation comes first, the party comes second, and the individual comes last.
He asserted that the BJP is a united house, and the mindset of the people of the State has also changed drastically in the last ten years, and now everyone is talking of development.
Sonowal asserted the prospect of the NDA in the election is “bright”. “We are confident but not complacent. We are still working hard to ensure that the NDA gets the maximum possible number of seats,” he said.
When asked how many seats the NDA would win, he said that the NDA would aim for 100 per cent. When a student appears in an examination, he or she should aim for 100 per cent marks. “Similarly, we are aiming for 100 per cent and let us see how many we get. But we will win the polls, that is for sure,” he said.
In reply to a question whether he is keen on contesting the Assembly polls, Sonowal said that he is always guided by the principles of the party. “I do not have any decision for myself. The party’s decision is my decision,” he asserted.
On the selection of candidates for the polls, Sonowal said that the opinion of the grassroots level people would be taken into consideration while selecting candidates.