(Photo: IANS)
Guwahati, January 12 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday stepped up his attack on the Congress, alleging that the party has turned ticket distribution into a money-minting exercise, with senior leaders allegedly using the proceeds to fund extravagant wedding ceremonies.
Speaking to reporters, Sarma claimed that Congress tickets for the upcoming Assembly elections were being “sold for money” and that the scale of the alleged transactions would become evident once the party officially announces its candidates.
“Everyone is watching closely. How much money has been taken by the Congress in the name of tickets will be clear after the list is declared,” he said.
The Chief Minister asserted that even Congress candidates themselves would eventually acknowledge the practice.
“What I am saying today will be repeated by the candidates on the day tickets are announced. I am speaking based on confirmed and reliable information,” Sarma claimed, adding that others would soon echo the same allegations.
Referring to seat-sharing arrangements, Sarma said it was entirely the prerogative of the BJP to decide how many seats it would allocate to its allies, including the Asom Gana Parishad, Gana Shakti and the BPF-UPPL alliance.
“How many seats the BJP gives to AGP, Gana Shakti, or BPF-UPPL is our internal decision,” he said.
Drawing a parallel, the Chief Minister said it was also an internal matter for the Congress to decide how many seats it would offer to its allies, such as Raijor Dal and the Assam Jatiya Parishad.
However, he cautioned that there must be a clear ethical boundary.
“There is only one line that should never be crossed - tickets must not be sold for money,” he said.
Sarma further alleged that the Congress’s alleged practice of collecting funds was not limited to elections alone.
“From weddings to elections, this collection drive will continue,” he remarked, accusing senior Congress leaders of reducing the ticket distribution process to a fundraising mechanism rather than a democratic exercise.
The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid intensifying political exchanges between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress as preparations gather pace for the Assembly polls.
