While the Opposition is targeting the state government over issues of corruption in the run-up to the state Assembly election, the ruling Congress leadership is banking on the “growth story” to retain its mantle in Assam. It also happens to be Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s ‘electoral state’ (he’s been a Rajya Sabha member from here for two decades) .
Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee came here today for a whirlwind three-day tour. While the India-Pak cricket match on Wednesday has already taken a toll on his tour schedule (one meeting cancelled, another preponed), Mukherjee charted out various statistics to show how the economy of the state had improved in the past decade of Congress rule. “During the (predecessor) AGP regime, in a single year, 172 cheques issued by the state government bounced back in the Reserve Bank of India. The state had no money. Today, no one can accuse the government for such mishaps,” Mukherjee said.
Adding: “Till the XIIth Finance Commission was in place, Assam used to get a non-plan revenue deficit grant. But things have changed now. Instead of receiving grants, the government now gets performance incentives. Last year, the Assam government received Rs 150 crore as performance grant. It will receive Rs 150 crore again during 2011-12 for its performance.”
The Congress spin managers believe the growth and governance story gave it rich dividends during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Mukherjee said during the 1996-2001 Prafulla Mahanta regime, vacancies in almost 300,000 government jobs were not filled. The Tarun Gogoi government had filled all and, “22 lakh self-employments have been created in Assam during the past 10 years”.
Also, said Mukherjee, there was a 137 per cent increase in the central grants and loans to Assam. “This has given the state more elbow room to take up more development work,” he said.
Congress’ poll managers say while the “growth story” will give their campaign an edge, the divided opposition vote will be key to the Congress’ success. In Assam, the AGP and the BJP could not forge an alliance and the electoral battle has now become a triangular fight.