Wary of losing votes in the Assamese heartland, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi here on Saturday denied having any link with All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).
At a hurriedly-convened press conference on the day electioneering ended for polling on April 11, Mr Gogoi not only slammed the Opposition BJP and AGP, but also clarified that they have not entered into any kind of deal with AIUDF to give its president Maulana Badruddin Ajmal the post of deputy chief minister.
“We never wanted their support. We can form a government without them even if they are combined (BJP, AGP, AIUF),” he declared.
“If they come on their own to support us, we will think about it,” said Mr Gogoi.
The Chief Minister described the BJP and AGP as “parties of hypocrites” who were “shedding crocodile tears” for the people of Assam. “We, the Assamese people, do not want to accuse people in such harsh words. But I am compelled to say that they (AGP, BJP) are hypocrites when they talk of corruption as an election plank”, Mr Gogoi said.
“They have unleashed a vicious and misleading election campaign,” he added.
“They are a bunch of inefficient and useless people who have failed to discharge their duties,” Mr Gogoi charged, adding that if corruption was taking place in the state, then what kept them silent for so long.
He also targeted BJP’s star campaigner Narendra Modi. “Do you think Gujarat is free of corruption and BJP’s Narendra Modi is the supreme Chief Minister? In that case, he should be given the Nobel Prize,” he remarked.
“Modism will not run here. Even if 100 Modis come, they will not be able to make their presence felt,” he said claiming, “Mr Modi is very new to Gujarat. It was the Congress party which developed Gujarat.”
“The BJP recently held their national executive meeting here, but no issues of relevance for the people of Assam were raised. Even their MLAs in the Assembly were sleeping and failed to raise a single matter of importance,” the CM said.
“Why did they not raise the NC Hill scandal in Parliament? They knew it would expose BJP’s involvement,” he charged.