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G Vinayak in Guwahati
Buoyed by ground reports and the DRS exit poll, which put the Congress tally at 60 seats of the 126 assembly constituencies in Assam, state Congress president Tarun Gogoi has begun laying down the priorities for his government.
Holding of political dialogue with militant outfits and checking infiltration would be the two top items on the agenda of his government, Gogoi said in an interview on Friday.
So sure is Gogoi of his party forming the next government and he becoming the chief minister that an exercise to draw up a list of officers for key posts has already begun at his residence.
Counting is scheduled to begin on Sunday morning and the first results are expected by 11 am for the four seats in Guwahati where electronic voting machines were used.
Gogoi said that maximum concentration on rural development, holding of panchayat elections and demarcation of boundaries of autonomous tribal bodies would be his other priorities. He made it clear that no vindictive action would be taken against any politician or bureaucrat.
"My ministry will not be jumbo-size in view of the fiscal difficulties. But I will try to give representation to all castes, communities and religions, " he said.
While spelling out his ten top priorities in the event of the Congress forming a government, Gogoi said he would try to convince the Union government to start a Nagaland-type peace process with all militant outfits of Assam, but made it clear that anybody indulging in illegal activities would be dealt with firmly.
"They may be ULFA, SULFA or any other anti-social elements," he added.
He said that infiltration must be stopped and the Centre should take the responsibility of guarding the borders properly and frame a comprehensive plan to check infiltrations.
"But we oppose issuing of work permits as announced by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as it will encourage more infiltration," he said.
The APCC president said his government would take the initiative to hold panchayat elections within this year, preferably in October-November.
He said that rural development would be another area where his government would give maximum attention. "Monitoring of development activities will be done properly," he said.
ALSO SEE: AGP questions exit poll results
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