Chattisgarh CM arrives in Assam to review Congress' poll preparation

GUWAHATI: Chattisgarh chief minister and AICC observer for Assam elections Bhupesh Baghel arrived here on Monday to review poll preparedness with the party leaders.
Baghel, along with with AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik and secretary Shakeel Ahmad Khan, started reviewing poll preparedness with the party workers, where party in-charge for Assam, Jitendra Singh was also present.
“AICC has entrusted the responsibility on me to look after the party’s affairs in Assam and I am here,” he told reporters at Guwahati airport on arrival.Baghel visited Kamakhya temple before starting marathon meetings with party functionaries.
Baghel was instrumental in bringing Congress to power in Chhattisgarh where BJP was eyeing another term under Raman Singh amid the Modi wave. Congress insiders said the Grand Old Party expects another masterstroke by Baghel to win Assam, where BJP is going all out to sweep the 2021 assembly polls with an alliance with its regional parties.
Assam Congress president Ripun Bora said the AICC had taken the Assam elections very seriously and thus, appointed leaders such as Baghel to supervise the party activities. Congress sources said Baghel held a meeting with 40 departments and cells of the Assam PCC since 5.30 pm on Monday after which he was scheduled to meet party MPs and MLAs late evening. “On Tuesday, he (Baghel) will meet the leaders of the North East Congress Coordination Committee and soon after, another meeting will be convened at the Manabendra Sarma complex with leaders from block- to state-level,” said a Congress source.
Meanwhile, Assam PCC general secretary Bobbeeta Sharma in a news conference on Monday raised concerns over “alarming increase” of crime against women in Assam in the last few years, which she said had made the situation in Assam unsafe for its women citizens.