Guwahati: Gaurav Gogoi, president of the Indian National Congress in Assam, on Saturday (May 2) strongly crticized Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission of India, alleging irregularities in the handling of strong rooms ahead of the Assam Assembly vote counting scheduled for May 4.
Addressing reporters, Gogoi claimed that BJP workers were being allowed inside strong rooms and had also been present at several polling stations during voting hours across the state. He said such incidents were being reported from multiple locations, raising serious questions about the role of the Election Commission and warning that the situation posed a threat to democratic processes.
The Congress leader further alleged that the BJP was attempting to rely on “unfair means” as it could not win elections based on its governance record. He added that opposition parties have been repeatedly raising these concerns, accusing the ruling party of depending on malpractice rather than performance.
Referring to similar issues flagged in other states, Gogoi said questions had also been raised about the personnel assigned to guard strong rooms.
He also criticised Himanta Biswa Sarma over governance, alleging that the police were being used to target opposition leaders instead of focusing on public safety and tackling issues like drug trafficking. According to him, the state was facing a serious drug problem, but law enforcement agencies were being diverted from their primary responsibilities.
Commenting on exit polls predicting a win for the National Democratic Alliance, Gogoi dismissed them as “TRP-driven exercises,” claiming many voters were reluctant to express their views openly due to an atmosphere of fear.
He also claimed that political shifts were already taking place within the BJP and its allies, with people gradually moving towards the Congress. Reacting to the Supreme Court of India granting anticipatory bail to Pawan Khera, Gogoi said it was “deeply saddening” that remarks concerning the Chief Minister were discussed in a manner he believed harmed the state’s image.