Guwahati, Feb 28 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday formally kicked off its election campaign in Assam with the launch of the ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’, aiming to reach at least one lakh people every day across the state.

The yatra was flagged off by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from the historic Gupteshwar Temple at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district.

Party leaders said the outreach programme seeks to connect directly with voters and highlight the BJP government’s development initiatives ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Addressing party workers and supporters at the launch event, Sarma said the Jan Ashirwad Yatra would carry the BJP’s message of development, good governance and welfare schemes to every corner of Assam.

He also urged party cadres to strengthen grassroots-level engagement during the campaign.

The first day of the yatra witnessed an enthusiastic response from the public, with large crowds turning up at various points along the route.

Senior BJP leaders, ministers and legislators are scheduled to participate in the yatra, which will pass through multiple districts in phases over the coming weeks.

According to the BJP Assam Pradesh unit, the ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ is a key component of the party’s election strategy and will focus on direct interaction with people, feedback collection and mobilisation of party workers at the booth level. This campaign will cover several districts in the state and it will end on March 9.

BJP MP Pradan Baruah while taking part in the programme said that the primary objective of the Jan Ashirwad Yatra is to provide an opportunity for Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to directly engage with people across the state and seek their blessings ahead of the forthcoming electoral contest.

Speaking about the party’s outreach programme, Baruah said the yatra is designed to strengthen grassroots connect and convey the BJP’s vision for Assam’s future.

He said several senior national leaders, along with members of the BJP’s state leadership, will accompany the Chief Minister during different phases of the journey across multiple constituencies.

The BJP MP said the Jan Ashirwad Yatra will also function as a platform to highlight the developmental work carried out by the BJP-led government over the last decade.

Special emphasis, he added, would be laid on initiatives implemented during the past five years under the leadership of Chief Minister Sarma.

“Through this journey, people will be informed in detail about the work delivered by our government. The Chief Minister and party leaders will interact directly with citizens and explain the various welfare schemes, infrastructure projects and policy measures undertaken for the state’s development,” Baruah said.

He added that the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the success of the yatra, describing it as a key component of the party’s political outreach ahead of the elections.

According to Baruah, feedback received from the people during the yatra will also help the party fine-tune its future strategies.

–IANS

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