"People Will Give A Befitting Reply To Congress": Assam Minister Atul Bora

Karimganj (Assam) [India]: Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president and Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said that Congress ruled the country for many decades, did nothing, and this time people will give a befitting reply to the party.

"Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for a third consecutive term, and it is sure. Congress had ruled the country for several decades, but they did nothing. In the last 10 years, India has reached a new height under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. People are now comparing the Congress's tenure with the NDA's 10-year tenure," Atul Bora told media.

Replying to a question about Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi's claim that the BJP's number will come down below 200 seats, the AGP president said that Congress is now losing its confidence level.

"In the last five state assembly polls, they (Congress) had full confidence that they would win the election, but what happened? This time also, they are going to lose," Atul Bora said.

On Sunday night, Atul Bora and AGP working president Keshab Mahanta, who is also the Assam Health Minister, attended an election campaign meeting in the Binodini area under the Karimganj Lok Sabha seat.

"In the Karimganj seat, BJP candidate Kripanath Mallah is going to win. The people of Karimganj have extended their support to PM Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance," Atul Bora said.

Talking about the first phase of polls in Assam, the AGP president said, "BJP will win all five seats in the first phase of polls.

"NDA will win 14 seats in Assam. I am very confident," Bora said.

AGP is a partner of NDA and part of the BJP-led Assam government.

In Assam, BJP has contested 11 seats while AGP has contested 2 seats (Barpeta and Dhubri) and UPPL in one seat (Kokrajhar).

Atul Bora further said, "The minorities are now extending their support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP."

Assam recorded 75.95 per cent voter turnout in the first phase of polls, which was held in five parliamentary constituencies in the state on Friday.

The second phase of polls for five Lok Sabha seats in Assam - Silchar, Karimganj, Diphu, Nagaon, and Darrang-Udalguri will be held on April 26.

Altogether, 60 candidates filed their nomination papers for four parliamentary constituencies in the state that are going to the polls in the third phase on May 7.

In the third phase, voting will be held in Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Barpeta and Guwahati parliamentary constituencies.

According to the Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, 30 candidates had filed their nomination papers on the last day of submission for the third phase of the polls.

"On the last day of submission of nomination papers for the third phase of polls, 7 candidates filed their nomination papers in Kokrajhar, 10 in Dhubri, 9 in Barpeta and 4 in Guwahati," said the DIPR, Assam, in a press statement.