Guwahati: Congress candidate Sunil Kumar Chettri from the Naduar constituency in Sonitpur district of Assam was brutally attacked on Monday, allegedly by a gang of BJP supporters, leaving him seriously injured. BJP has denied the allegation. BJP candidate and Chettri’s main opponent, Padma Hazarika, said the accusations against BJP members were baseless.Chettri, along with several Congress supporters, was admitted to Tezpur Medical College and Hospital. Senior Assam PCC spokesperson Rupa Kalita was also injured and is undergoing treatment.Sharing video footage, Congress claimed that Chettri was assaulted after being surrounded by a group of youths who got out of vehicles and attacked him with bamboo sticks on a roadside in broad daylight.Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi strongly condemned the attack at Nomail in the constituency and demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible.Gogoi wished Chettri a speedy recovery, saying he had suffered serious injuries. In a statement, Gogoi alleged that the administration was working in favour of the ruling party. “The district administration is acting as per the directions of the ruling party and has failed to provide adequate security to opposition leaders and workers,” he said.He further alleged that even after the election notification was announced, the administration continued to act in favour of the ruling party, undermining the Constitution and democracy. Gogoi urged the Election Commission of India to take necessary steps to ensure free and fair elections.Meanwhile, Padma Hazarika said he would quit politics and resign from his MLA post if it was proven that BJP workers attacked Chettri. “I have been MLA for 25 years. I will leave all responsibilities and go into political renunciation if they can prove that BJP workers attacked Sunil Chettri. I appeal to Sunil Chettri and Rupa Kalita not to create confusion in the minds of the people of Assam,” Hazarika said.He alleged that the incident may have been orchestrated by Congress workers.Leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia demanded a fair investigation into the incident and strict punishment for those involved. APCC media department chairperson Bedabrata Bora also condemned the incident and urged the election commission to ensure a free and fair electoral environment.
