Congress should field a fresher in Silchar: Gautam Roy

Congress should field a fresher in Silchar: Gautam Roy

SILCHAR, April 5: Sontosh Mohan Dev might not be in power, Excise Minister Gautam Roy’s tirade against the former Union Minister did not seem to die down. In an interview with The Sentinel, Roy even went to say that defeat in the Lok Sabha election had derailed Dev’s mental ability. Making a scathing attack on the senior leader, Roy said Dev had duped the people of Barak Valley with bogus promise that Lumding-Silchar broad-gauge would be completed by 2012. “I tell you, broad-gauge will never by completed by 2012 as tender for tunnel number 10 was still lying with the Rail Ministry”, maintaining this Roy said, Dev should have involved State’s Ministry and then only broad-gauge could be completed in the stipulated time. Roy did not solely concentrated on the former Union Minister, rather he directed against Dev’s MLA wife Bithika Dev. Roy said, Bithika’s performance in the Assembly was horrible and thus party should field some new faces in the next Assembly election in Silchar. Roy however uttered a few words of praise for Silchar Municipality Chairperson Susmita Dev. Roy said, he was aware that a group of ruling party Ward Commissioners had been creating problem for Susmita which they should not have done. “I have talked to Susmita and advised her to continue her work along with all the Ward Commissioners unlike her father.” Roy openly admitted that in the forthcoming election the ruling party have to face anti-incumbency factors, particularly due to price rise of the essential commodities. But this would not pose any threat for the Congress, mainly because of two reasons- first, everybody are aware that price rise was a national phenomenon and even in the non-Congress States, the picture was same. Secondly, there was no strong opposition in the State which could challenge the ruling party. Roy said, 2011 Assembly votes would be his last election. “For almost two and half decades I have been fighting election, I am now sick of it. New generation should come”, confessing this Roy however maintained that, since nobody from his constituency had come up with profound promise, he was compelled to fight the election again in 2011. He, however, hinted that in 2014 general election, he might contest from Silchar LS seat provided the party high command nominates him. THE SENTINEL