In Gogoi's bastion, Rahul Gandhi questions PM Modi's promises

With poll fever on the rise in Assam, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tall promises for turning the fortunes of the state.

Addressing a rally in Diphu of East Karbi Anglong district of Assam, the Congress vice-president reminded Prime Minister Modi of his unfulfilled promise of bringing back the black money stashed abroad.

"Modi ji comes here, makes promises and then goes back. He promised to bring back the black money and give every common man a sum of Rs. 15 lakhs but has failed to do so," Gandhi said.

Training guns on the ruling government, Gandhi said that liquor baron Vijay Mallya, former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi fled the country very easily, and accused the ruling dispensation of not acting tough on them.

"Vijay Mallya met a minister in Parliament and later he easily went out of the country," he added.

Gandhi also slammed the prime minister for taking away the special status of Assam.

"Modi ji took away special status of Assam under which the state used to get thousands of crores of rupees under Congress government," Gandhi said.

Gandhi further accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of instigating violence among people, wherever it rose to power.

"They (BJP) want to enforce one ideology on everyone, this country does not belong to one ideology. Assam will be running from Nagpur, Assam will be running from Prime Minister's Office if BJP wins, we want to run Assam from Assam," he added.

Earlier last week, highlighting his agenda of development while campaigning in the Rangapara district of Assam, the prime minister came down heavily on the Congress regime and alleged that the ruling party in the state has betrayed the people and their aspirations in the last 15 years.

In Assam, polling for the first phase of polls will be held on April 4 for 65 seats. The scrutiny of nomination papers was held on March 19 and March 21 was the last date of withdrawal of nominations.

Assam has a total of one crore 98 lakh voters. The Election Commission has announced two-phase voting for the 14th Assam Assembly elections on April 4 and 11, while the votes will be counted on May 19.

The tenure of the Tarun Gogoi led-Congress government comes to an end in June.