Assam election results: We will protect the interests of bonafide citizens, says Sarbananda Sonowal

Sarbananda Sonowal, who has led BJP to its maiden victory in Assam assembly polls, today said the main priority of the new government will be to protect the interests of greater Assamese society. Projected as the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate, Sonowal said stopping infiltration, a main poll plank of the saffron alliance, would be a major challenge for him.

People were fed up with Congress and they wanted change and good government, he said. “People have accepted our winning combination. This is a great victory. People of Assam have been looking for such a combination... Our main target is to protect the interests of bonafide Indian citizens, whether they are Hindu or Muslims it doesn’t matter.

“We have to protect the interests of greater Assamese society, which include Assamese, Bihari Marwaris, Bengalis, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs... We have to work together, live together and fight together,” he said soon after it became clear that BJP for the first time would get a majority in the 126-seat state Assembly.

He said there are a lot of challenges ahead. “The big issue is infiltration that is a national issue;Indo-Bangladesh border sealing. Many more issues like employment is there,” he said.

The Union Minister played down challenges to him from within the winning alliance, saying they all have to work together.

BJP had stitched an alliance of virtually all regional parties, which represent various sections of indigenous population, to take on Congress and AIUDF, accusing the two parties of supporting infiltrators, mostly Bangladeshi Muslims.