Congress alleges bid to lure candidates, steps up monitoring

Guwahati: Congress has intensified monitoring after some candidates in Sivasagar and Dibrugarh were allegedly approached by “people having BJP links” ahead of counting on May 4, party sources said.The party has formed seven special teams to meet candidates and monitor the situation, amid concerns that the alleged outreach is aimed at keeping likely winners away if the opposition alliance gets a chance to form govt, a source said.A senior Congress leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday that some state-level Congress leaders had received inputs that BJP leaders, especially in Dibrugarh and Sivasagar, had contacted Congress candidates through various sources. “Congress is confident of performing well in both districts. So they are trying to lure some of our candidates,” the leader said.However, BJP denied the allegation. State BJP spokesperson Ranjib Sarma said, “Why would anyone approach Congress when it has no chance of winning the election?”The Congress leader said the party was working to keep its candidates united. “Dibrugarh and Sivasagar are two districts where BJP feels it has little chance of winning. So, some BJP leaders have indirectly contacted our candidates to keep them away so that Congress and other opposition parties cannot prove a majority if they go closer to the magic number,” he added.The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee said it has stepped up monitoring of the counting process. After discussions between AICC general secretary in charge of Assam Jitendra Singh and APCC president Gaurav Gogoi, seven special teams were formed to visit districts across the state.Congress sources said no decision has been taken to keep candidates together at one place to prevent possible horse-trading.