New political equations likely to emerge

HOJAI, Oct 21 – The stand-off between the Congress and the AUDF appears to be easing with the Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, close on the heels of Forest Minister, Rockybul Hussain and the AUDF legislator Sirajuddin Ajmal meeting each other at Hojai few days back, recently visiting Ajmals’ HAMM hospital here consolidating relationship between the two parties. The sudden dash to Hojai of the minister evoked curiosity among the Congress and AUDF party workers with the Congress in a jubilant mood and the AUDF supporters perplexed.

The Health Minister was welcomed by Sirajuddin Ajmal, managing trustee, Saheed Hussain, executive trustee, the superintendent and the doctor staff at the hospital. The minister formally opened the CT scan and new diagnostic centre, went around the hospital and was visibly impressed with cleanliness maintained by the hospital. He highly lauded the charitable services rendered to poor patients at the hospital and assured to extend help for infrastructural needs. Dr Sarma also assured Sirajuddin Ajmal his government’s co-operation and support in opening a nursing school at the hospital complex which would encourage the local girls and women to join the noble profession. The minister emphasided the need for private and government co-operation in the health sector due to the heavy load on health infrastructure and appreciated the service spirit to the suffering humanity of the Ajmals.

Later on, Dr Sarma was taken to Ajmal’s newly constructed ‘Maryam Ajmal College of Science and Technology for Girls’ building at Barpukhuri village. The minister was very happy to see the college along with girl hostel. While assuring all kind of help, the minister suggested opening of an engineering college for girls at the earliest and promised that his government will extend all possible support. He was also shown the new complex of ‘Rural Training and Development Centre’ (RTDC) developed by Ajmal at Padumpukhuri which is getting ready to be inaugurated in 2010. The minister was highly appreciative of job-oriented initiative of Ajmal and paid compliments to Late Haji Ajmal Ali the father of Badruddin Ajmal and Sirajuddin Ajmal.

Later, the Health Minister visited Hojai CHC, the First Referrel Unit and took stock of the problems of the health centre. He also met Dr Ardhendu Kr Dey, the ex-minister at his residence and a large number of Congress workers and listened to the simmering discontentment among party’s rank and file especially over the formation of Hojai and Lanka Municipal Board by violation of party’s directives by the elected ward commissioners, allegedly at the behest of a particular minister.

The visit of Dr Sarma to Hojai has added special significance in view of the coming by-election to Dhekiajuli and South-Salmara constituencies and politically conscious circle here feel that a shrewd politician like Himanta Biswa Sarma has not visited Hojai suddenly without achieving something positive as South-Salmara constituency has become a prestige issue for the Congress.