Monday, October 12, 2009

Litmus test for Cong in Arunachal

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TANAGAR: With Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) fast emerging as a potent player in Arunachal Pradesh and the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool
Congress making its debut in the state's electoral politics, the ruling Congress is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the wind blows in its favour in the coming elections to the 60-member Assembly.

For Congress, which had won 34 seats in the 2004 elections, the October 13 poll may not be a cakewalk. And the party, it seems, is aware about the challenges lying ahead. Barely an hour ahead of campaigning came to an end on Sunday, Arun-achal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Nabam Tuki hurriedly called a press conference and clarified certain charges that the opposition had been levelling against his party.

"Congress' contributions towards the growth of Arunachal can't be compared with others. We are confident that the mandate of the state's people will be in our favour," Tuki said. "The opposition parties are targeting Congress out of sheer frustration. They have realized that their pres-ence will not have much impact on our (Congress') prospects," he added.

Referring to the BJP's claim that whatever development in the state had taken place was because of its "untiring efforts", Tuki said, "Congress never works on others' diktat. We work only in accordance with its commitment to the people."

Commenting on the NCP and Trinamool's presence in the fray, he said Congress would never go for any alliance with any party. "Congress will return to power with absolute majority. Our party has nothing to do with NCP or Trinamool, despite both the parties being UPA's allies in New Delhi," he said. Though political pundits feel that the anti-incumbency factor would play a crucial role in the prospects of Congress with many dissident leaders contesting the polls on tickets of other parties, Tuki said it would not be a major factor. "Anti-incumbency may be a factor in some constituen-cies. But Congress will win the elections with a thumping majority."

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Cong-BJP war of words over model code violation

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TANAGAR: With barely three days left for the battle of ballots in Arunachal Pradesh, mudslinging between Congress and BJP has intensified. The
parties accused each other of violating the model code of conduct.

While the saffron party has charged Congress with misusing government machinery and trying to buy votes with money, liquor and opium, Congress said BJP is trying to malign it.

AICC secretary and Arunachal in-charge V Narayanswami said the opposition is bent on shifting voters' attention. " So they are engaged in spreading rumours. But such things will not affect our prospects. Congress will form the next government with thumping majority," he said at a press conference. "We will return to power. We are committed to people. It is only Congress which can form a stable and transparent government," he said .

"Arunachal should develop into a front-runner state in the country and the UPA government will provide all assistance to transform the dream into reality," the Congress functionary said.

Earlier, BJP's organizational in charge (North-East) P Chandrasekhar Rao had told reporters on Friday that Congress candidates are violating the Rs 6-lakh expenditure limit. "In Lohit, Congress workers are distributing opium and liquor to voters. What is the EC doing? Has it become a part of Congress?" Rao said.

The saffron party demanded that the EC allow BJP workers to accompany poll officials carrying electronic voting machines to the strong room when the polling is over.