Guwahati, March 25 (PTI): Senior Congress leader Tarun Gogoi on Monday said the party will seek support from all organisations and social groups who are opposed to the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
The former Assam chief minister said Meghalaya-based National People's Party was contesting most of the seats in Assam and North East and alleged that it is aimed at helping the BJP.
"We will seek support from all those opposing the Citizenship Bill. We will welcome the support from AASU, AJYCP, KMSS and others for the interest of Assam and its people," Gogoi said at a press conference here.
The Congress wants that all anti-BJP and anti-Bill forces unite to defeat the present regime at the Centre, he said.
"Because of the Congress party, the Central government could not introduce the bill in Rajya Sabha. We stood by the people of Assam. We will never introduce this bill once we come to government," Gogoi said.
He said BJP president Amit Shah in a rally in Assam had announced to bring the Citizenship Bill again if it is voted to power after the elections.
Questioning Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma-led NPP's role, Gogoi said: "Conrad's stand is not clear. He was against the bill, but he is still in NEDA despite the BJP saying that the bill will be brought again. That means, Conrad has made a U-turn."
Contesting in almost all the 25 seats in North East even though there is "no base" for NPP will eventually help the BJP by dividing the anti-bill votes, the Congress leader said.
"He (Sangma) could have said that I will support BJP if there is no bill. But he is silent now. It shows that NPP and BJP have a secret unholy alliance," Gogoi said.
On AGP's return to NDA after a hiatus of two months over the bill, the three-time former chief minister claimed that the popularity of the regional party is "decreasing", while all such regional forces across the country are becoming stronger.
"The AGP is an anti-Assam, power hungry and corrupt.
The AGP-BJP alliance means that none of them are confident of winning alone in the state," he added.
Gogoi claimed that the Congress will win at least 10 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam.=
In 2014, the BJP won seven out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, the Congress and the AIUDF had three MPs each and one member was an Independent. The two BJP allies, BPF and the AGP, had no representation in the Lower House of Parliament.
Slams Modi for neglecting BJP veterans
A day after BJP leader Ram Madhav said the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if it contests from there, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who "ate biryani" there and sent a "love letter" to his counterpart in the neighbouring country.
The senior Congress leader also slammed Modi for the "neglect" shown to the veterans in the BJP.
"It was Modi who wrote a love letter to Pakistan Prime Minister. He went to eat biryani and enjoyed birthday there, but accusing us," Gogoi said at a press conference here.
The three-time chief minister was referring to a query on BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav's comment on Sunday that the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if they contest from there as the opposition party is "banking only on the neighbouring country and lies."
"It was Congress government which bifurcated Pakistan and created two nations. These comments by BJP are nothing but just an attempt to deviate public attention from the real issues - jobs crisis, farmers distress, corruption and deposit of Rs 15 lakh in our accounts," Gogoi said.
He further denied any secret understanding between Congress and the perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF as alleged by Madhav.
The veteran Congress leader expressed sadness over denial of ticket to former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who has been replaced by BJP President Amit Shah in Gandhinagar seat.
"Advani had huge contribution in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government coming to power, but today he is neglected in his own party in a very pathetic way. Not only him, but the entire old-guard like Arun Shourie and others are neglected. They are intelligent people and Modi does not like intelligent people around him," Gogoi said.
He alleged that the Modi government has "failed" on all fronts and has "not fulfilled" a single promise made to people in 2014.
"Our fight is not against the person Modi, but against his divisive, communal and economical policies. This election is a big challenge for democracy," he added.
Talking about denial of Lok Sabha ticket to his former party colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma at the last moment by BJP, Gogoi said: "It is an insult to him. First, the name was included and then deleted. Amit Shah must have given consent, but Modi objected to Himanta."
The Congress leader alleged that a "cold war" is going on between Sarma and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who also "failed" in delivering anything positive in the state.
