Congress to launch 'Save Assam' bus yatra ahead of assembly polls

Ahead of the assembly electionsin Assam, the opposition Congress on Wednesday announced thatthe party would launch a bus yatra campaign titled ''AsomBachao Ahok'' (Come, let's save Assam) from four parts of thestate from February 12.

The buses will move across the state for two weeksand party leaders will meet voters to discuss issuesconcerning Assam.

''With these bus yatras, the top leadership of theparty will fan out to the remotest corners of the state anddiscuss with people its issues and problems,'' the campaigncommittee chairman of the party, Pradyut Bordoloi, said at apress conference here.

Bordoloi will lead the yatra from Borduwa Satra, thebirthplace of Srimant Sankardeva, the 15th century culturaland religious icon of the state.

Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi, MLA Debabrata Saikia andAll India Mahila Congress President Sushmita Dev will lead thecampaign from Guwahati, Sivasagar and Silchar respectively.

''The people of the state are fed up with the BJP'smisrule. In my yatra, I shall be interacting with diversesections of the society to understand what needs to be doneover the next five years to bring peace and prosperity inAssam,'' said Bordoloi, the MP of Nagaon.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Borasaid that the party will reach out to every household in thestate to know their sufferings and the hardships they had toendure during the five years of the BJP's ''misrule''.

The assembly election in Assam is likely to be held inMarch-April.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party general secretary BandipDutta and BJP leader from Darrang district Pinku Moni Dasjoined the Congress along with their supporters in thepresence of Bora and other senior members of the party.