Priyanka Gandhi plucks tea leaves during off-season; Jitendra Singh calls it 'film shoot'

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, Jitendra Singh on Friday targetted Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi over her recent visit to poll-bound Assam, stating that it looked more like a film shoot as she plucked leaves at a tea estate there in the off-season.

"Priyanka Gandhi is choosing tea leaves in the off-season. It seems as if a film is being shot," the BJP leader on Friday. Gandhi recently visited the tea gardens in Assam, where got snapped while plucking tea leaves with a basket on her head.

READ | Himanta welcomes Priyanka's 'tourism' In Assam; Says 'expecting Over 100 Seats In Polls'

Further upping the ante against the Opposition party, Singh said the people of Assam have not forgotten the violence and the frequent strikes that took place during the Congress reign. 

"The BJP government will be formed here for the second time. There was news of violence, strike in Assam under Congress rule. Today, children of the new generation have forgotten that there was such an atmosphere at that time. This became possible due to the personal interest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the minister said.

He ridiculed the party saying that the BJP works through a process when naming its candidates, while Congress decides its candidate "in the kitchen." He expressed confidence that the BJP and its alliance partners  Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) will together carry forward the development works in the state. 

READ | Assam Polls: BJP Declares List Of 70 Candidates; CM Sonowal & Himanta Sarma In The Fray

The BJP leader also said that Congress is left with no leader in Assam after the demise of Tarun Gogoi. In the 2016 assembly elections, BJP created history by forming the government for the first time in Assam ending Congress' 15-year rule led by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

Assam Polls: BJP declares list

Meanwhile, on Friday BJP declared names of candidates for 70 seats ahead of Assembly elections in Assam. "We are declaring the names of candidates on 70 seats as of now, out of the 126 seats in Assam Assembly. We are giving 26 seats to AGP and eight seats to UPPL," said party National General Secretary, Arun Singh.

READ | 11 New Faces In BJP's List Of 70 Candidates For Assam Polls

While Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will contest from Majuli, NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma has been given a ticket from Jalukbari. Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass shall fight the polls from the Patacharkuchi constituency. The list includes 11 Scheduled Tribe candidates, 4 Scheduled Caste candidates, and 4 women candidates sitting MLAs have been denied a ticket.

The term of the 14th legislative assembly of Assam ends on May 31, 2021, and the Assembly polls for 126 seats will be held in three phases starting from March 27. The results will be declared on April 6.

READ | Assam Cong Responds To Himanta Sarma's Fact-check, Says 'BJP Worried By Gandhi's Visit'

(With inputs from ANI)