Itanagar, March 6 : The Congress in Arunachal Pradesh today blew the poll bugle with Union minister of state for parliamentary affairs and AICC general secretary V. Narayanaswamy asking partymen to stay away from “intra-party clash” in order to regain the two parliamentary seats in the state.

“I appeal to party workers to plug all gaps within the party to strengthen the hand of Congress-led UPA government at the Centre by regaining the two parliamentary seats in Arunachal Pradesh. The Lok Sabha poll for the state is slated for April 16 and the party has geared up for the polls, but its weakest link is clash between partymen. I hope party leaders and workers will rise over petty differences to regain the seats,” he told party workers at a rally in Indira Gandhi Park here.

Narayanaswamy, who arrived here today on a two-day visit, said, “Our’s is a big party and differences tend to crop up. But these factors should not weaken the party. We must rise above petty things.”

He said only the Congress could provide a stable, progressive and democratic government and the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre had prioritised development in the Northeast.

Highlighting the Centre’s effort to develop Arunachal Pradesh, he said the Prime Minister’s package came as a windfall for the all-round development of the state.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, he termed the Opposition party as “a bunch of liars in the park” bent on grabbing power by means of “stunt politics”. 

“The two BJP MPs, Kiren Rijiju and Tapir Gao, unnecessarily raised issues to malign the Congress in the state. Our party is not bogged down by these factors and will regain the Arunachal East and West parliamentary seats,” he said.

On BJP president Rajnath Singh’s assurance on implementing the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations, Narayanaswamy said the BJP had not been able to do so in Nagaland and Meghalaya, where it was part of the ruling alliance, then how could the BJP president assure Arunachal Pradesh?

Chief minister Dorjee Khandu also lashed out at the BJP. Rajya Sabha MP Mukut Mithi said the Congress, under Khandu’s leadership, would also win the Assembly polls, to be held along with the parliamentary polls in the state.