Guwahati, March 31
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday unveiled the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Assam assembly elections, pledging the protection of land, heritage, and dignity of indigenous communities along with an ambitious Rs 5 lakh crore infrastructure investment.
The party’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ includes 31 promises, covering initiatives such as the recovery of encroached land from “Bangladeshi Miyas,” implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and creation of employment opportunities for the youth.
The manifesto emphasizes safeguarding the rights of Assam’s indigenous people by enforcing the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, to speed up the detection and deportation of illegal immigrants. It also promises to strengthen legislative protections for ethnic communities by implementing the UCC, excluding Sixth Schedule and Tribal areas.
Under the Mission Basundhara scheme, the BJP aims to free all land from illegal encroachments and provide rightful land ownership to genuine citizens. The party also pledged to recover encroached parcels belonging to Satras, Namghars, Devalayas, and other places of worship.
Addressing the “Love Jihad” and “Land Jihad” issues, the manifesto proposes effective laws to curb these practices.
On the development front, the party announced plans to position Assam as India’s Eastern Gateway through the Asom Gati Shakti Master Plan, with Rs 5 lakh crore allocated for infrastructure projects. Additionally, the Badh Mukt Assam Mission will receive over Rs 18,000 crore to make the state flood-free. The manifesto also promises 2 lakh government jobs and the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities through various schemes.
Sitharaman said the manifesto reflects “a decade of transformation in Assam, which the Congress could not achieve in 60 years,” accusing the Congress of ignoring long-term development in the Northeast. She highlighted that peace and stability under BJP rule have enabled progress, citing the removal of AFSPA from most areas after 32 years.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita, state BJP president Dilip Saikia, national vice president Baijayant Panda, and other senior party leaders were present during the announcement.
Elections for Assam’s 126 assembly constituencies are scheduled for April 9, with counting set for May 4.
