Sunday, January 8 2006 18:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Guwahati: The ruling Congress today (Jan 8,2006) launched its election campaign in Assam assuring the minority community that all protection would be provided despite the scrapping of the Illegal Migrants (determination by tribunal) Act (IMDT) by the Supreme Court.

Barely a few months ahead of the assembly election, the Assam unit of the Congress organised a mammoth Sankalpa Samaroh' where senior leaders including Defence minister Pranab Mukherjee and Union minister Santosh Mohan Dev assured the minority that there was no cause for worry.

Indicating that a alternative law could be framed, Mukherjee in his address in the historic Judges field here said there was no cause to worry for the minority community as the Congress was always committed to ensure their safety.Dev assured the leaders of the minority community that the Congress would take all measures to ensure their safety.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Digvijay Singh claimed that the newly formed United Democratic Front (UDF) by the minority would not adversely affect the chances of the Congress to regain power in the next assembly election.

Mukherjee said in view of the current crisis faced by the tea industry the Centre is soon going to announce a package.

"Union Commerce minister Kamal Nath is soon going to announce a package so that the tea industry could survive and avoid the impending the crisis," he said.

On the law and order front, the Defence minister without naming the United Liberation front of Assam (ULFA) congratulated the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for his policies in bringing back peace in the state.

"Assam is a miniature India and the efforts of the present government in bringing back peace and solving the insurgency problem is commendable", Mukherjee said.

The chief minister Gogoi lambasted both the BJP and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) for their alleged 'misrule'.

"Both these parties were in power but they have failed to solve the problem and instead blaming the Congress", the Chief Minister said.

Giving a list of projects undertaken by the State Government for the uplift of the poor, Gogoi said special attention was provided to the children to pursue higher education while old age pension which was stopped during the previous AGP regime was revived.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhubaneswar Kalita and several other top Congress leaders addressed the rally.