Shah asks Assam BJP leaders to strengthen party before LS polls

BJP president Amit Shah has advised the Assam unit of his party to reach out to the people of the state, down to the grassroot level, keeping in view the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha election, a party leader said today.

Shah advised the core committee members of the BJP's Assam unit to visit the districts and strengthen the party's base in the north-eastern state, inform the people about its manifesto for the upcoming panchayat polls and find out whether the benefits of the government schemes had reached the grassroot level.

"Amit Shah suggested that keeping in view the 2019 Parliamentary polls, the party should be strengthened in the state. He also wanted the core committee members to establish links with the people by visiting their homes," state BJP chief Ranjit Kumar Das said, while briefing reporters about the party's core committee meeting here in the presence of Shah last night.

Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Assam since yesterday, visited the Kamakhya temple here today.

"The manifesto for the upcoming panchayat polls in the state was also discussed at the meeting and Amit Shah welcomed it," Das added.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said ministers, MPs, MLAs, booth and mandal committee presidents of each district and workers of the party attended the core committee meeting.

"We discussed Assam's development. Taking all the people of the state with us in the coming days, we want to strengthen the panchayati raj system," he told reporters.

"We have full confidence that the people of the state will extend their support to strengthening the panchayati raj system for bringing development in the rural areas," Sonowal said.

On reports about alliance partner Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) going alone in the panchayat polls to be held later this year, state BJP spokesperson Dilip Saikia said, "The alliance dharma will continue.