Congress mismanaged panchayati raj institution: BJP

"The electorate in rural areas have understood the facts regarding the magnitude of mismanagement indulged in by the Tarun Gogoi led government. We firmly believe that in the upcoming panchayat polls, our the voters will reject the Congress and vote for the BJP," state BJP president Sarbananda Sonowal said here.

Speaking during a function to release the party's manifesto for the panchayat polls, Sonowal also accused the Congress government of subverting the panchayati raj institution by not decentralising power to local bodies.

"Congress deliberately did not take steps to decentralise power to the villages so that their leaders in Dispur could have a free hand in indulging in corruption," he said.

He also accused the Congress government of encouraging settlement of "illegal Bangladeshi immigrants" in villages and reserved forests of the state.

"There is total mismanagement in all sector. The public distribution system is in chaos with salt being sold at Rs 10 per kg in the black market instead of the stipulated Rs 3 per kg in fair price shops and similar is the case with all our products," the former Lok Sabha MP said.

In it manifesto, the BJP said if it wins the panchayat polls it would take steps to increase productivity of farm land, give land to landless farm labourers, provide subsidised fertiliser, promote animal husbandry, focus on rural education, health, water supply and employment generation, among other steps.

The panchayat polls in Assam will be held in three phases on January 30, February 6 and February 12 next.