GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said the upcoming parliamentary election is a mere formality as people have already made up their mind to re-elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He claimed that people want Modi to continue and lead India toward "Amrit Kaal".
“This election is basically to re-elect Prime Minister Narendra Modiji. I don’t think there is any other issue,” Sarma, the BJP’s face in the Northeast, told journalists on the sidelines of an election rally in Karbi Anglong.
“It is a formality that we have to vote after every five years. Otherwise, there was no need for this election because people have already made up their mind to bless Modiji. The only thing we have to try is to secure 400 plus seats (for the NDA),” he added.
He also said that apart from re-electing Modi, this election is for development.
“We are following the way the PM wants us to conduct the election. (He said) let’s speak about development, vision for Amrit Kaal. We are doing that,” Sarma said.
He said the people in Assam were feeling much safe and secure following the delimitation of constituencies, signing of various accords with insurgent groups and changes made in government policies to secure the land rights of indigenous people.
Sarma said the state's tribal areas, which were suffering due to insurgency, became peaceful due to the efforts of Modi and the initiatives taken by Union home minister Amit Shah.
“The tribal areas of Assam are now in a journey of development,” he said.
He was campaigning for BJP’s Amarsing Tisso who is contesting from Diphu. The seat, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, straddles the three hill districts of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.
The region remained restive for decades together and then, peace returned with the signing of various accords with militant organisations.