Guwahati: Assam Bhartiya Janata Party sharply reacted to congress leader Bhupen Borah’s cryptic dig at the state government, terming it a “trouble engine” and said that present government does not have to rely on the Centre’s fund for paying even the salaries for government employees.

While, addressing at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan in Guwahati, Debajit Mahanta, an Assam BJP leader said, “Since India’s Independence, Assam was ruled by the Congress for a number of years, but only after the BJP came to power here, the state government is no longer dependent on funds from the Centre to pay the salaries of its 4.5 lakh employees.”

“Perhaps Borah made the comments because he was unaware of the most recent events in the state,” Mahanta added.

When Congress was ruling Assam, the recruited youths had to pay money as soon as they received the appointment letters. Presently, the youths received jobs on the basis of merit in BJP government.

Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has distributed appointment letters to nearly 45,000 youths who have been selected to serve in various departments in the state.

Earlier, Borah claimed that the people had to give bribes to get jobs, however, nobody is telling the truth now out of the BJP’s fear.

Replying on that, Mahanta said, “I request the Assam Congress president to show a single candidate who got the jobs by giving bribes.”

BJP leader further added in response to Borah’s remarks about borrowing loans to create a fictitious GDP, he claimed that the debt in states with Congress-led governments is significantly lower.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah criticised the BJP-led state government, claiming that it was not a ‘double-engine’ but a ‘trouble engine’ government.

The APCC chief claimed that various promises made by the BJP-led Assam government to take the state on the path of progress and development have not yet materialised. He also accused state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of making false promises of creating jobs, but ultimately failing to keep his promises.

Borah alleged “discrepancies” in the state government’s claims of providing millions of jobs, saying that in reality, the actual scenario was totally different.

Borah demanded accountability and explanation from the state government on the unfulfilled promises made by them of providing a total of 22 lakh jobs.