Dibrugarh: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched a major campaign in the tea-majority areas of Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency with meetings in Dikom Sesa Tea Garden field, followed by another meeting at Bamunbari Tea Garden and concluding the day by canvassing for BJP party at the Keheng Tea garden at Tingrai Itakhuli field on Sunday.
Packed with people in all three gardens on Sunday, Sonowal quipped how the colourful and vibrant tea community further enriches the complex, dynamic and cosmopolitan socio-cultural fabric of the Assamese community.
Despite inclement weather, the popular national leader from Dibrugarh, Sarbananda Sonowal was accorded a warm reception by the tea garden community at all three meetings.
“Tea working community is very close to my heart. Your colourful community enriches the complex, dynamic and vibrant socio-cultural fabric of the Assamese community. You have elected me to represent your causes as MLA, MP, Chief Minister and now Union Minister. My job is to serve you — this is my first and foremost duty,” Sonowal said.
Sonowal further added, “Under the inspiring leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the tea community, along with the contemporary society from every section, has been availing the fruits of welfare democracy that were long denied during the misrule of the Congress government.”
“Due to the PM’s early experience in life as a tea worker, he always advised me to do welfare programmes for the benefit of the tea community. This is the reason why I, as then CM of Assam, gave special attention to setting up new schools so that the young generation from your community can get educated,” Sonowal said.
The Union Minister participated in various programmes including Kutumba Milan Samaroh of All Assam Patar Samaj, BJP’s Tea Tribe Morcha Workers’ Conference, as well as the BJP-AGP election campaign rally.
“Our zero-tolerance against APSC scam led to the arrest of culprits who were running a job racket, denying the due of eligible candidates. Today, anyone, whether from the tea tribe community or any other community of Assam, a level playing field has been created where one can secure a job with merit,” he said.
He further said, “We also worked to improve the conditions of roads within tea gardens, Anganwadi centres, and cash incentive of Rs. 12,000 to every pregnant woman, free primary education to the children of tea community, free medicines at hospitals and many other schemes. The visionary step of Jan Dhan Yojana — launched by PM Narendra Modi — has given all of us an opportunity to become financially secure and become part of a financially inclusive, socially inclusive development of the country. It is a moment of great satisfaction that more than 8,50,000 bank accounts were opened under this scheme for the tea workers, making them part of the country’s development process.”
Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency is dominated by the tea tribe’s community and during polls, the community plays a decisive role in choosing the fate of the candidate. All three candidates from Dibrugarh are taking all possible measures to ‘woo’ voters.