Union Minister Jitendra Singh mocks Priyanka Gandhi over plucking tea leaves in Assam during off-season

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, Jitendra Singh on Friday ridiculed Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh stating that her recent visit to poll-bound Assam looked more like a film shoot as she plucked leaves at a tea estate there in the off-season.

"Priyanka Gandhi is choosing tea leaves in the off-season. It seems as if a film is being shot," the BJP leader told here on Friday. Recently, Gandhi had visited the tea gardens in Assam and got photographed while plucking tea leaves with a basket on her head.

The BJP leader said that people in the state have not forgotten the violence and the frequent strikes during the tenure of the Congress. "So the BJP government will be formed here for the second time."

"There was news of violence, strike in Assam under Congress rule. Today, the children of the new generation have forgotten that there was such an atmosphere at that time. This became possible due to the personal interest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the union minister said.

Targetting the Congress party, the minister said: "The BJP works through a process, but in Congress, the candidate's name is decided in the kitchen."

"We have a specific slogan that our alliance will have more than 100 seats. I am confident that along with our alliance partner --Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), together will fulfill this promise and carry forward the work of development in the state," he added.

The BJP leader also said that Congress has no leader in Assam now after Tarun Gogoi.

In the last assembly election in 2016, the BJP scripted history and formed the government for the first time in Assam ending Congress' 15-year rule led by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

Meanwhile, on Friday BJP declared names of candidates for 70 seats ahead of Assembly elections in Assam.

"We are declaring the names of candidates on 70 seats as of now, out of the 126 seats in Assam Assembly. We are giving 26 seats to AGP and eight seats to UPPL," said party National General Secretary, Arun Singh.

The term of the 14th legislative assembly of Assam is up to 31 May 2021. The Assembly elections for 126 seats will be held in three phases starting from March 27.

( With inputs from ANI )