BJP ropes in Harvard expert Rajat Sethi for vision document in Assam

GUWAHATI: In what is seen as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s attempt to counter the Congress move of roping in political strategist Prashant Kishor for Assam polls next year, the Saffron party has engaged Rajat Sethi, a public policy graduate from Harvard University, to assist the state unit in preparing a vision document.

BJP will start a public dialogue “Assam Nirman” which envisages engaging civil society and bring out a policy document for Assam.

Senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the dialogue series which will encompass economic development and infrastructure, tea labourers’ issues, education, skill development and employment, social welfare and women empowerment besides accessibility, communication and Act East policy, governance, security and illegal immigration will start from January 21.

There will be six sessions and will be attended by Union ministers including Arun Jaitely, Piyush Goyal and Kiren Rijiju.

Union minister and state BJP president Sarbananda Sonowal said, “We expect to complete the process by February. This will be peoples’ manifesto prepared by the people.”