Guwahati, May 6 (IANS) Assam unit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Dilip Saikia on Wednesday said that the massive mandate received by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Assembly elections has increased the alliance’s responsibility towards the people of the state.

Addressing reporters here, Saikia said the NDA government would continue to focus on development while also prioritising the protection of Assam’s identity, culture and civilisation.

“The people of Assam have blessed the NDA in this election. Their mandate has increased our responsibility. In the next five years, we will work with greater commitment for the development of Assam and the protection of Assamese culture and civilisation,” Saikia said.

He added that the BJP government would implement the promises made in its election manifesto and work towards resolving key public issues.

“The assurances we gave to the people in our Sankalp Patra and manifesto will be implemented sincerely. We will move ahead with our development agenda with greater intensity and work towards solutions to the problems faced by the people,” the BJP leader said.

Saikia also described the Congress party’s performance in the Assembly polls as a “humiliating defeat” and said accountability should be fixed within the opposition party.

“In politics, when a party performs well, the leadership gets credit. Similarly, when a party suffers defeat, the leadership must also take responsibility,” he said, in an apparent reference to Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi.

The Assam BJP chief further said that if the Congress truly believes in “value-based politics”, its central leadership should take an “appropriate decision” to improve the condition of the party in the state.

The BJP-led NDA returned to power in Assam with a comfortable majority in the 126-member Assembly, paving the way for a third consecutive term for the saffron alliance in the state.

The BJP Legislature Party is expected to meet in the coming days to elect its leader, following which the process for formation of the new government will begin.

–IANS

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