Assam Cong banks on anti-CAA, 5L job guarantee to beat BJP

New Delhi/Guwahati, March 14 In an aggressive campaign to put the ruling BJP in a corner in Assam, the Congress is making several promises, including five lakh jobs to the locals and non-implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Calling the promises as 'guarantees', the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to unseat the BJP and come to power.

Jitendra Singh, who is in-charge General Secretary of the Congress in Assam, said on Sunday, "This election is to save Assam, to save women of Assam, to give employment to the youth and specially to save culture of the state."

The Congress has given five 'guarantees' for Assam if voted to power.

The first is the Citizenship Amendment Act. Congress said they will ensure that the CAA is not implemented in Assam.

The other guarantees include: Free 200 units of electricity, Rs 2,000/per month to homemakers, minimum wage of 365/day to Tea Garden Workers and generation of five lakh jobs in the state.

The Congress in its public meetings has been explaining how the party will enact the 5 lakh government jobs guarantee as it will open new avenues for the people in the state.

Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, has also been campaigning in Assam.

He is describing his state's model in Assam to counter the Gujarat model, which he says has produced no results in five years. He also released a charge sheet in Dibrugarh on Sunday against the state government and took potshots at who was running the government, was it Sarbananda Sonowal or Hemanta Biswa Sarma.

Baghel alleged that "Syndicates are running the government in Assam, coal-sand-supari -cow smuggling syndicate are in the state, and the government was protecting them."

The Congress has now pitched in campaigners for the three-phase Assam Assembly elections, including party chief Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former party President Rahul Gandhi and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several others.

The party has also named Rameshwar Oraon, Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora, Sushmita Dev, Gourav Gogoi, Debabarta Saikia, Pradyut Bordolai, Rakibul Hussain, Bhupen Bora, Rana Goswami, Ranee Narah, Rupjyoti Kurmi, Roselina Tirkey and Pradip Nag, as star campaigners for Assam.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had last week visited the state for two days, and had addressed few public rallies besides meeting the Assam tea garden workers.

She is again scheduled to visit the state in the coming days.

The Congress, which ruled the state for 15 years before losing power in 2016 to the BJP, is hoping for a comeback on the back of a multi-party alliance.

The Congress has formed a Grand Alliance in Assam consisting of the AIUDF, Bodoland People's Front (BPF), CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), the Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

The 126-member House will go to the polls in three phases March 27, April 1, April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

( With inputs from IANS )