Guwahati: The Congress on Monday announced a target of winning 80 out of 126 seats in the Assembly polls in Assam in 2021 and decided to focus on re-establishing contact with the people.
The Congress currently has 25 MLAs in state Assembly, while the BJP has 61 and its allies Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front have 14 and 12 members respectively. The AIUDF has 13 members in the House and there is one Independent.
"We have set the 'Mission 80' for 2021 and will start work from now to achieve this target. This is a very serious challenge and not easy, but we are ready to take it," senior leader and former chief minister Tarun Gogoi said here.
The main strategy to re-capture power in 2021 will be re-establishing contact with people and strengthening the booth committees for that, he told a press conference. The decision was made in an executive committee meeting held on Saturday.
The three-time former chief minister admitted that the party became complacent after being in power from 2001 to 2016. "We can learn from the RSS that how they maintain connect with the people. We will visit each home and inquire about peoples' problems and see if the facilities promised by the BJP government have actually been delivered or not. We will have to spend more time in villages," he added.
Gogoi said the Congress too had Seva Dal, Bharat Yuvak Samaj and other social organisations like the various branches of the RSS, but these have become inactive over the years.
"We need to revive our ground contact with the people. We have to listen to their grievances and accommodate them in our plan of actions. Then they will accept us again," he said. When asked who will take the leadership for its 'Mission 80' target, Gogoi said, "I will take leadership from the front."
He, however, refrained from projecting anyone as the face of Congress chief minister at this moment and said new leaders will emerge during the next two years.
Gogoi alleged that the BJP wants to have a single-party rule in the entire country with the help of money and muscle power, but it is a danger to democracy. He also wondered why people voted again for the BJP- led NDA government in the recent Lok Sabha elections despite huge job loss, price rise, farm crisis, impact of demonetisation and GST, false promises on Rs 15 lakh deposit to bank accounts and many other such issues.
Asked about recent disciplinary actions taken against some Congress leaders, Gogoi said if they show signs of rectification, a second chance should be given. "We have been lenient in taking disciplinary actions.
Personally I want to take them back in the party if they rectify themselves. But the final decision is to be taken by the Disciplinary Action Committee of the APCC," he added.
On Saturday, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee decided to suspend Barak valley leader Gautam Roy and general secretary Ramen Borthakur from the party for their alleged anti-party activities.
The Extended Executive Committee also decided to take disciplinary action against vice-president Dwijen Sarma, general secretary Ramesh Jain and secretary Partha Pratim Bora for their anti-party activities and forwarded it accordingly to the Disciplinary Action Committee.
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