Jorhat: Voicing confidence that the people would elect a Congress government in Assam, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said only his party has brought change for the better through development in the state, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "failed" to fulfill his promises.
Talking to reporters after casting his vote, Gogoi said, "People want change for the better and not change for the worse".
"We are 100 per cent confident that people will vote for us. We brought change, we proved it and people can see it. I also want change. Who wants to remain static? We (Congress) achieved change for the better, while AGP also achieved change but for the worse.
"Everyone knows what was the situation (15 years ago) when AGP was in power when they failed. There was no development then, no employment", he said.
"People can also see how much (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi fulfilled his poll promises. He is losing his popularity in the whole country even in his home state Gujarat, Bihar and other states," he alleged.
"They (BJP) indulge in negative propaganda and they do not want change for the better. I am not fighting against the Centre but want to instead cooperate. My fight is only against injustice," he asserted.
Asked how many seats he expected the Congress to win, a confident Gogoi said, "Upper Assam is our stronghold and we will do even better this time in Lower Assam".
The Chief Minister cast his vote in Jorhat today during the first phase of Assam Assembly polling to decide the fate of 539 candidates in 65 of the 126 constituencies.
Sporting a Gandhi cap, Tarun Gogoi stood in the queue with other voters along with his wife Dolly Gogoi, son Gaurav Gogoi, who is an MP, and brother Deep Gogoi at the polling station in Debicharan Baruah Girls High School.
Gogoi is pitched against BJP MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa in Titabar seat, seeking a fourth straight term of his Congress government.
On BJP's allegation that his party was encouraging illegal migrants to Assam to use them as 'vote bank', the chief minister said, "What is the home minister (Rajnath Singh) doing if there is so much migration from Bangladesh? Is it not his responsibility to stop it"?
Asked if he would take the help of perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal's AIUDF to form the next government, Gogoi said, "We don't need his help as I am 100 per cent sure we are coming back with a large majority".
"In 2011 Ajmal had said he would get majority and be the 'king maker'. But I got the majority. He is losing his popularity in his own minority areas," he said.
To a question whether Congress is facing tough competition from the opposition alliance, Gogoi said, "Not at all. They are a kichidi (mixture) with BJP, AGP, Bodos, Rabhas and Tiwas".
