BJP minister Naba Kumar Doley (centre) recorded the highest asset growth of Rs 18.22 crore in five years
GUWAHATI: Assam MLAs have become richer over the last five years. Assam Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms have found that the average worth of assets of 90 sitting MLAs, who are re-contesting this time, is Rs 4.44 crore a 76% jump over the 2016 figure of Rs 2.52 crore.
Based on their affidavits, the average asset growth of these MLAs has been Rs 1.91 crore.
Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal s assets have grown by Rs 1.32 crore since 2016 elections. His asset value has increased to Rs 3.17 crores in 2021 from Rs 1.85 crores in 2016, marking 71% growth.
Senior BJP leader and Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during a road show in Guwahati on Saturday
GUWAHATI: The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday reduced the duration of ban on campaigning against Himanta Biswa Sarma from 48 to 24 hours after the minister pleaded for relaxation with an “unconditional apology and undertaking” to abide by the rules in future and that he was a candidate in a constituency going to the polls on April 6.
However, the EC has shunted his younger brother Sushanta Biswa Sarma, the SP of Goalpara district, to the police headquarters. The EC has replaced him with IPS officer Veera Venkata Rakesh. Elections in the district will be held on April 6.
Badruddin Ajmal during a rally at Gauripur on Saturday
GUWAHATI: Leading citizens and organizations of Assam on Saturday condemned Badruddin Ajmal’s son Abdur Rahim Ajmal for his dadhi, topi and lungiwalla statement, saying that the AIUDF would polarize voters and this would directly benefit the BJP.
During a poll rally on Friday at Bhawanipur in Bajali district, home to Khargeswar Talukder, first martyr of the anti-foreigners’ movement, Ajmal’s son said, “This time it will be your government, the government of the poor, the government for development, the government of ‘dadhi-topi-lungiwallas’ and the government of our daughter who wears ‘sindoor’.”
GUWAHATI: Assam Congress on Saturday staged protests here against alleged electoral manipulation by BJP.
Senior Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh, former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid, Assam PCC president Ripun Bora and All India Mahila Congress Committee president Sushmita Dev, took part in the protest against “blatant deterioration of the respect for public mandate”.
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll in a polling station in south Assam’s Ratabari assembly seat and suspended four officials after an EVM was found in the car of an Assam BJP leader.
“The last few days have been black days for the democracy of Assam. BJP has resorted to everything that could be categorized as undemocratic. As soon as the picture started clearing out, BJP has gone from bad to worse,” Khurshid said.
CAUGHT ON THE WRONG FOOT: BJP minister Pijush Hazarika
Morigaon Police have summoned Assam minister Pijush Hazarika for allegedly threatening two journalists with dire consequences over a phone call. Police said a case has been registered and statements of both the parties are being recorded.
Nazrul Islam, a journalist with a local TV news channel, on Thursday filed an FIR at Jagiroad Police Station in Morigaon district where he alleged that the minister threatened him by saying, “I will drag you to the streets. break your leg. and nowhere kori dim (will obliterate you).
As soon as the audio clip of over five minutes of conversation with the journalist and the minister went viral, Congress filed a memorandum to the poll panel against Hazarika.