Assam BJP govt concerned for power, money, land, syndicate: Gaurav Gogoi

Guwahati: Assam Congress president-designate Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday slammed the BJP-led state government saying that the ruling front is concerned only with "power, money, land and syndicate".

He alleged that devastating floods and waterlogging have crippled life in the state capital Guwahati mainly due to encroachment of wetlands by ministers and people close to the ruling party.

Gogoi kick-started a procession from Sivasagar to Nagaon in the morning. Accompanied by thousands of supporters during the 250-km long journey, the cavalcade will pass through Jorhat and Golaghat before entering the central Assam district in the evening.

"This government is deeply rooted in power, money, land grabbing and syndicate. Unplanned construction, land grab and contractor specific flyover have taken priority over the needs of the ordinary people of Guwahati," he told reporters after visiting historic Siva Doul (temple) in Sivasagar town.

Residents of the capital city of Assam on Friday woke up to a harrowing situation following a spell of heavy rains that flooded almost all peripheral roads and several residential areas. Incessant rains for two days since then led to knee-deep water in all areas while at some places it touched the chest.

"Greed for money and land is driving the BJP policy in Guwahati. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was the Guwahati Development minister for a long time. Now, his close associate is the minister. But BJP ministers care more about the road to their own house than preserving water bodies and building drainage systems," Gogoi said.

The Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha referred to Housing and Urban Affairs minister Jayanta Malla Baruah's house near Bondajan channel, a portion of which is reportedly encroached to construct a concrete road to his residential complex.

"We will expose all corruption across the state one by one. The huge corruption in various departments of Guwahati development will also be exposed in the coming days," the Lok Sabha MP said.

He also said that all opposition parties performed below their expectations during the recently held panchayat elections in Assam.

"All the opposition parties should review their individual performances and the Congress is also doing it. Among the opposition parties, Congress is the most powerful. To strengthen the opposition front, we must strengthen the Congress," he added.

Earlier during the day, Gogoi met with senior citizens in Sivasagar and discussed various issues. Then he offered tributes to the statue of freedom movement martyr Piyoli Phukan and prayed at Siva Doul.

After that, he led a huge crowd in a march from the Doul to Rang Ghar Chariali. He then started his inter-district procession, crisscrossing multiple districts in the Upper and Central part of the state.

"From Saturday to Monday, Gogoi will cover 18 assembly constituencies in Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Golaghat and Nagaon districts. He will reach Nagaon today around midnight and halt there for the night," a Congress spokesperson said.

The Jorhat MP received a warm welcome at the Jorhat airport on Saturday by Leader of the Opposition in Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia, senior party leaders and a large number of Congress supporters.

On Monday, the newly appointed Assam Congress chief will meet party workers in Nagaon and then leave for Guwahati where he will go to the party headquarters.

He will meet party workers on Tuesday and officially take charge as the president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee.

Gogoi replaced Bhupen Kumar Borah as the state president and will lead the party in the state elections at a time when Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been attacking him over his British wife's alleged connection with Pakistan's spy agency ISI.