Congress Slams CM Sarma, Says It Fights Election From Workers' Contribution, Not From Syndicate

Congress has started its ticket distribution process for the upcoming Assembly election in Assam. For this, the process of receiving application forms from aspiring candidates has begun at Rajiv Bhawan. From today, applications can be formally submitted seeking Congress party tickets. The application process will remain open from January 5 to January 20. Applicants will be required to pay an application fee of ₹50,000 at the time of submission.

A separate application will have to be submitted by each aspirant for every constituency they want to fight from. The application form is available on the party’s official website. So far, application forms have been submitted by four aspirants.

People's Manifesto

The Congressparty claims that it will prepare a people’s manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections. By listening to the people of Assam and understanding their concerns from the heart, the party will draft a manifesto that truly reflects public aspirations.

Commenting on the manifesto at Rajiv Bhawan, Pradyut Bordoloi said that the Congress has begun a door-to-door outreach programme from December 6 to listen directly to people’s views. "The party has formed five groups that are visiting the public in different areas to hear what is on their minds. These five groups have been constituted under the leadership of Gaurav Gogoi, Debabrata Saikia, Bhupen Bora, Rakibul Hussain, and Ripun Bora"--Bordoloi said. 

He further added that the Congress is reaching out to people across Assam’s hills, plains, Barak Valley, and the Brahmaputra Valley to engage in dialogue. The party will hold discussions with the public as well as with various political parties and organisations. Congress leaders will also meet intellectuals and eminent members of society, listen to their views, and incorporate all suggestions while preparing the manifesto.

Congress Slams Chief Minister’s Allegation 

The party has slammed Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's allegation that Congress distributes tickets in exchange for money. It commented that Congress is a party run on contributions from its workers.

"Unlike the BJP, the Congress does not have syndicate money. While the BJP will fight elections using syndicate funds and money from extortion, the Congress will contest elections using contributions from its workers. Charging an application fee for seeking a party ticket is a long-standing practice in Congress."

"Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma himself had applied for a Congress ticket through the same process in the past. The people of Assam do not take the Chief Minister’s statements seriously, as he is known for making baseless remarks"--remarked Pradyut Bordoloi. 

Bordoloi also expressed doubts over the People’s Pulse survey, questioning how many people were surveyed and what the sample size was.

Also Read: Gaurav Gogoi Outlines Congress’s Five Pledges for New Assam in New Year Address