Former chief minister and AGP’s star campaigner Prafulla Kumar Mahanta on Wednesday dared the Election Commission of India to prove its tall claims by stopping the alleged massive use of black money by candidates of ruling Congress party in Assam.
Expressing satisfaction over the spontaneous turnout of electorate in his meeting, Mr Mahanta, two time chief minister of the state told this newspaper that wave of change has made the ruling Congress party and its candidates, especially some ministers to start pumping in massive black-money to buy the voters. He, however, clarified that it was not going to change the mood of electorate that reeling under the corruption and abnormal food inflation during the Congress rule.
“We are surprised that the Election Commission of India, which was making tall claims of conducting a free and fair polls, has failed to create a level playing field in Assam. The way ruling party has been allowed to misuse government machinery and pumping in massive black-money poses the biggest challenge for the Election Commission to prove themselves,” said Mr Mahanta regretting that ruling party was still distributing government rice and mosquito nets to the voters.
Mr Mahanta who said that they cannot compete in resources with other political parties said that voters were also aware and they would come out to support AGP. Mr Mahanta who left for addressing at least four public meetings in Upper Assam district claimed that people’s mandate would be on their side.
“I am not going to make any tall claim like Congress party but can say with firm conviction now that there will be AGP-led government in the state,” said Mr Mahanta.