Assembly election schedule likely to be announced in first week of March: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (February 22) hinted that the Election Commission will likely announce the schedule for the Legislative Assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal and other poll-bound states in the first week of March.
 

While addressing a public meeting in Assam’s Dhemaji, the prime minister said, “Since the schedule for the last assembly election in these states was announced on March 4 (in 2016), it seems the Election Commission will announce the polls in the first week of March.”

“I will try to visit Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as many times as possible before the schedule is announced by Election Commission. We can assume that the announcement could be made on March 7,” he added.
 

On his third visit to Assam in a month, Modi again blamed previous governments for underdevelopment. He said that the previous government had given Assam step-motherly treatment, despite the state having immense potential. He complained that the communication system, hospitals, educational institutions and industries were not taken into consideration.
 

“Assam has everything that is enough for people here. We need to ensure that the double-engine of development already in place is strengthened,” Modi added.
 

Narendra Modi also said that the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam worked together to develop infrastructure in the state.