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SILCHAR, Sept 27: Warm up session for 2011 Assembly election virtually began in sensitive Hailakandi district as the AIUDF on Sunday collected rupees five lakh from spot donation in its first ever meeting to chalk out poll strategy in its district. On the other hand, Excise Minister Gautam Roy distributed compensation cheques to 46 small business whose shops were gutted in a devastating fire in January at Harbertganj Bazaar, the largest market in the district. A confident Roy declared that the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi would surely make a hat-trick by winning the next Assembly election. The Hailakandi district AIUDF leaders and workers assembled at Sirapatty to discuss the present situation in the district as well as to chalk out blueprint for the next Assembly election. The meeting, presided over by district chief Dr Najmul Hussain Majumdar, lambasted Gautam Roy and the district administration for not implementing the multi-sectoral development plan properly. The bottom line of the whole discussion was that the Muslims in the district were subject to utter discrimination as the Excise Minister turned an indifferent attitude for the development of the minorities. It was evident from the speeches of the speakers that minority issue, as usual would be the deciding factor in this communally sensitive district. Hailakandi’s AIUDF MLA Salimuddin made scathing attack on Roy for his failure in instructing the district administration to implement the MSOP.
On the other hand, Gautam Roy said, being the ruling party, the Congress was in a position to field candidates in all the constituencies, which the opponents were not capable of. He said, this time party high command in Delhi would have the final say in the affairs of nominations.
Meanwhile, sources said, Roy was very much angry with the district Congress leaders for their mishandling of the sensitive incident of a Muslim cab driver’s unnatural death. The outgoing SP Mahesh Chand Sarmah was accused of beating the driver to death. The incident sparked off violent protest in the district as the agitators during a bandh demonstrated in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Local MLA Salimuddin and other agitators were present in a meeting held at the DC’s office conference hall. But none of the Congress leaders including Algapur MLA Rahul Roy were present in the meeting. The only exception was APCC member as well as Roy’s close aide Gautam Gupta, who had virtually pacified the irate mob. Roy, who was out of station during the incident, lauded Gupta for his timely intervention and lambasted the other Congress leaders. (The Sentinel)