Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has ruled out early Assembly election in the state.
“The elections will be held on proper time,” he said in Guwahati on Wednesday, adding his government had no intention to go to polls before the completion of the term of the Congress-Bodoland People’s Party alliance.
The Gogoi government’s term completes five years on May 15 next year.
Gogoi was reacting to speculations prompted by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Navin Chawla’s visit to Guwahati on Thursday. The CEC had attended the zonal meet of chief electoral officers of the northeastern states.
One of the reasons Gogoi does not favour early elections is the “need to complete many development projects”. Since last year, the chief minister has been on a sop spree, which the Opposition parties said was aimed at the Assembly elections.
The Opposition, though, has hardly any issue to beat the Congres-led coalition with. The alliance between the Asom Gana Parishad and BJP has been shaky while the minority-specific All India United Democratic Front led by perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal has been sending feelers for a possible pre-poll alliance with the Congress
The Congress had won 54 of the 126 Assembly seats in last 2006 elections compared to 74 in the 2001 edition. It hopes to win at least 60 in the 2011 polls.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress had won 54 of the 126 Assembly seats in last 2006 elections compared to 74 in the 2001 edition. It hopes to win at least 60 in the 2011 polls.
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