Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma continued to remain unaffected by the criticism over rebel Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde's stay in Guwahati along with MLAs who are supporting him, plunging the Uddhav Thackeray government into deep trouble. Shinde has got the support of over 40 MLAs in his coup attempt.
As Guwahati saw protests by workers of the Congress's state unit on Friday, demanding that the breakaway faction leaders should leave the state, Sarma appeared very candid about the MLAs staying at a luxury hotel. "I invite all MLAs - across the country - to come to the state. How can I tell people to not to come to the state's hotels? This is not a federal structure."
"It's a matter of great happiness for me." Speaking to news agency ANI, when he was further asked, what would he like to say to Uddhav Thackeray, Himanta Sarma said: "I would tell him.. he should also come to the state for vacation."
On Thursday, Sarma was quoted as saying by ANI: “There are many good hotels in Assam, anyone can come there and stay...there is no issue with it. I don't know if Maharashtra MLAs are staying in Assam. MLAs of other states can also come & stay in Assam."
Meanwhile, Assam saw protests for the second straight day after the Trinamool Congress stir on Thursday. Congress workers were seen protesting in Guwahati.
State Congress chief, Bhupen kumar Borah, has written to Eknath Shinde also. "Your presence in Guwahati with presence of ruling MLAs of Maharashtra, who have been kept in a hotel to topple the elected government of Maharashtra has not gone well with the Assamese people. Moreover Assam is suffering a devastating flood situation and the flood affected people are suffering severely in absence of flood relief," reads the letter. Fifty-five lakh people in the state are affected and more than 100 people have died, it says.
{{/usCountry}}State Congress chief, Bhupen kumar Borah, has written to Eknath Shinde also. "Your presence in Guwahati with presence of ruling MLAs of Maharashtra, who have been kept in a hotel to topple the elected government of Maharashtra has not gone well with the Assamese people. Moreover Assam is suffering a devastating flood situation and the flood affected people are suffering severely in absence of flood relief," reads the letter. Fifty-five lakh people in the state are affected and more than 100 people have died, it says.
{{/usCountry}}"I have written a letter to Sri Eknath Shinde, Minister of Maharashtra, requesting him to leave Assam along with his MLAs who are sheltering at hotel to topple the MVAGovt .The letter has been given to one on duty police officer at Hotel Radison Blu. (sic)," Borah wrote in a tweet. In one of the posts, the Assam Congress targeted the CM: "Game of Thrones” is the only priority for BJP. While people are dying in flood, CM is busy in horse trading. What a pity!"
On Thursday, Gaurav Gogoi had told reporters: "If there's a crisis, it's that of floods. BJP has gone blind for power. There're floods in Assam, PM should visit the state, announce special package but he's busy toppling Maharashtra govt, or in Gujarat elections...Only power is everything for BJP."
(With inputs from ANI)