The die was cast for poll campaigning for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections early next year, as both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP held meetings at Samaguri constituency in Nagaon district.
Samaguri became the battle ground and a matter of honour for both Congress and BJP with the ruling party attempting to retain power for the fourth consecutive term and the saffron party to make inroads in the state to wrest power.
Today both the parties arranged two separate public meetings - BJP at Bheleuguri and Congress at Samaguri Higher Secondary School field - and thousands of people gathered at both the rallies.
The BJP meeting christened 'Jana Jagriti Samabesh' was addressed by its state President Sidhartha Bhattacharjyya, MPs Bijoya Chakraborty, Rajen Gohain and R P Sharma, Assam Pravari Dr Mohendra Singh and recently joined former Congress minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, among others.
Addressing the rally newly-inducted Himanta criticised his former party Congress and their 15-year rule in the state asserting the people of Assam are waiting for a change in 2016.
Stating the initiative for the change has started from Samaguri today, the one-time influencial Congress heavyweight urged the Samaguri voters to oust their local MLA and Minister Rockybul Hussain, who is considered to be second most powerful after Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
Claiming there was no development in Chief Minister's home constituency Titabor, Sharma asked, "then how can the people of Assam hope for development".
Upon the BJP coming to power, the former health and education minister promised to take the state on the road of development within 15 months which the present Congress Government failed to do in the last 15 years.
Claiming "the days of politics of yarn and blanket is over", Sarma challenged his one time Congress close associate Rockybul to come to Samaguri after promulgation of the Model Code of Conduct.
He also warned Rockybul and Congress workers not to harass BJP activists.
Stating the BJP believes in ideology, Sarma said, "BJP will start democracy instead of Dalal Raj (middleman rule) going on in Samaguri and other parts of the state".
Predicting there will be a BJP-led Government in the state in 2016, Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal exhorted the people to vote for BJP for change and development in Assam.
On the other hand at the unity rally of the Congress, Rockybul Hussain criticised the BJP-led Narendra Modi Government at the Centre for the rising price of essential commodities.
Hussain also criticised the Modi government for stopping the supply of ration rice to workers in tea estates.
Congress is gaining strength after "throwing out the garbage from the party", he commented and descrbed Tarun Gogoi and his son Gaurav Gogoi, MP, as the wealth of the party.
The minister also said, "the people should embrace secular forces from Assam to Bengal to Kerela to form a secular government at the Centre under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi".
Former Ministers Ripun Bora, Dr Ardhendu Kumar Dey, Pawan Singh Ghatowar and other Congress leaders also addressed the rally.
Some posters depicting Himanta as SUBIDHAWADI (one who works to his/her personal advantage) appeared in different areas of Samaguri.
