Priyanka fires poll salvo, releases 20-point 'charge sheet' against Assam govt
Vadra downplays Bhupen Bora’s exit, says Congress united & battle-ready ahead of 2026 Assam polls
Priyanka Gandhi (2nd from right), flanked by Gaurav Gogi (2nd left), Bhupesh Baghel (left) & Debabrata Sakia (right) during unveiling of a "charge sheet". (AT Photo)
Guwahati, Feb 19: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Thursday, released a 20-point “charge sheet” against the BJP-led Assam government in Guwahati, accusing it of corruption and of using state machinery to instil fear among minorities ahead of the Assembly elections.
The document, unveiled during the first day of her two-day visit to the state, alleged that the government had failed to fulfil key promises, including granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six indigenous communities and raising the daily wage of tea garden workers to Rs 351 during its tenure.
Vadra, who is chairperson of the Congress candidate screening committee for the Assam polls, also accused the ruling dispensation of “rampant corruption”.
The party alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with certain ministers and their family members, had “accumulated wealth illegally”.
Responding to questions from the press on the recent defection of former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Bhupen Bora to the BJP, Vadra downplayed the development.
“Defection occurs prior to every election. It’s a given and very common. But we, the Congress, will fight together as a united entity and everybody is taking it as a war and our soldiers would fight and win,” she said.
Three senior Congress leaders from outside the state also joined the programme. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is serving as a senior observer for the Assam elections along with Bhupesh Baghel and Bandhu Tirkey, expressed confidence in the party’s prospects.
Asserting that public sentiment favours change, Shivakumar dismissed remarks made by Chief Minister Sarma.
“This is Congress’ state and it has a great legacy here. Only individuals who haven’t had any political space, the BJP is picking them up. He is not strong on his work. He is not strong on his commitment. You know that his party is losing here. That is why he is making baseless statements,” he said.
The Congress move signals an intensifying political contest in Assam as parties gear up for a high-stakes Assembly election battle.