Congress will sweep 2026 Assam Assembly polls: Rahul Gandhi
He also criticized the BJP-led State government of working at the behest of the big corporate houses.
Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi (left), Rahul Gandhi (centre) and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. (AT Photo)
Guwahati, July 17: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asserted that the Congress party will sweep the 2026 Assam Assembly polls, even as he accused the ruling BJP of manipulating the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Addressing a party workers meeting at Bamunigaon in Boko-Chaygaon constituency, the former Congress president said that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will go to jail after next year’s Assembly elections.
Gandhi was on a day-long visit to the State along with All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The duo addressed the meeting at the Shanti Nizara Club field, Bangaon, Bamunigaon. It was also attended by AICC general secretary (organization) KC Venugopal, AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi, Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia, and other senior leaders of the grand old party, along with thousands of Congress party members from across Assam.
“Elections will be held in Assam soon and the Congress party will sweep the polls,” Gandhi said.
Alleging manipulation of voters’ list ahead of Assembly elections held in Maharashtra last year by the BJP, Gandhi said, “They are trying the same thing in Bihar. They will also try to do the same in Assam. The BJP and the ECI are working together nowadays. Our responsibility is to ensure that the names of all the people who reside in Assam figure in the voters’ list.”
He also criticized the BJP-led State government of working at the behest of the big corporate houses.
Gandhi also launched a sharp verbal attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
“The Chief Minister here considers himself as the King of Assam. And he is busy 24 hours a day in handing over your wealth and your land to Adani and Ambani. He knows that one day the Congress will send him to jail. Neither Modi nor Amit Shah will be able to save him,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Congress president Kharge said that the BJP was able to form the government in Assam only by inducting defectors from the grand old party.
“An unprecedented ‘loot raj’ is going on in Assam. We shall make all efforts to provide employment to all the youths when we come to power. BJP has failed to provide job to even a single unemployed youth. This is a bogus government and you must teach it a lesson,” Kharge said, adding: Apart from other major issues, the State government has also failed to provide minimum wage to the tea garden workers.
On the illegal migrants, he said, “Follow the law and take action against the illegal immigrants. Assam suffers from the poor infrastructure despite the so-called double-engine government here. The State has a loan burden of Rs 2,00,000 crore.”
He also condemned the recent eviction drives carried out by the Assam government.
“Last week, 2,000 houses were demolished in Dhubri. But they should remember that once the Congress comes to power, we shall rebuild those houses. And those who have indulged in illegal activities will be sent to jail,” he added.
Earlier in the morning, Gandhi and Kharge arrived at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in a special flight. They also attended a meeting of the political affairs committee (PAC) of the APCC at a hotel near the airport.
By
Staff Reporter