BJP resorted to religious polarisation to win polls in Assam: Pradyut Bordoloi

Slamming the BJP for its "religious polarisation" across the country, newly-elected Congress MP from Assam's Nowgong Lok Sabha constituency Pradyut Bordoloi on Sunday vowed to fight against the "divisive" politics spread by the saffron party.

Bordoloi, a senior Congress leader and a former minister in the Cabinet of ex-Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, had lost the Assembly election in 2016 to the BJP.

Winning the Nowgong Lok Sabha seat assumes significance for Bordoloi as it not only boosts his political career but because Nowgong was with the BJP since the last two decades from 1999.

"There are obviously some weaknesses in our party for which we could not do well in the Lok Sabha polls in Assam and also in the country. I am sure our party will introspect into the reasons and take steps. However, money power and polarisation of religion are two main factors that worked for the BJP in the recently held polls," Bordoloi said.

He said the BJP has divided society by religious polarisation which is a dangerous signal for a secular society like Assam and the northeast.

Asked about the Congress strategy, Bordoloi said that the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), or minimum income guarantee was an "epoch-making" programme announced by the Congress manifesto.

"However, Congress party was late in publishing the scheme and it is one of the reasons we could not reap the benefits of the scheme through votes," he said.

"The BJP has been predicting that I cannot win from Nowgong Lok Sabha constituency as there are only 34 per cent religious minority votes in Nowgong. However, I managed to poll 51 per cent of votes in the constituency which indicates that I got support from the non-minority communities as well," he said.

"The BJP resorted to create a narrative of religious polarisation and on their brand of nationalism. We cannot do that as Congress believes in the secular identity of India. This polarisation by the BJP is dangerous for the future of Assam," he said.

Congress could just win three out of 14 Lok Sabha seats.

"Nowgong, Kaliabar and Barpeta Lok Sabha seats. The victory in Nowgong and Kaliabar assumes significance as these two seats are located in Central Assam and has given a strong message to the religious politics of the BJP," he said.

Accusing the BJP of using money power to win the elections, the Congress leader said his party fought the polls amid a funds crunch.

"For the BJP there was unlimited funds but we had funds constraints. Everyone knows that we could not match the money power of the BJP. The BJP and RSS polarised the voters for their petty interest even through Ekal Vidayalaya schools," he added.

--IANS

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