‘See Assam’s progress’: CM welcomes Soren; JMM pulls 13,000 at Biswanath rally
Sarma’s remarks come as Soren campaigns for Jai Bharat Party’s Tiharu Gaur from the 70 No. Biswanath Assembly constituency
CM Sarma tries his hand at the drum as Rupjyoti Kurmi (left) aligns the mic. (Photo:@himantabiswa/X)
Guwahati/Biswanath, Apr 4: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Saturday, welcomed his Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren to the state, saying the latter would get an opportunity to witness Assam’s rapid development, particularly in tea garden areas.
Speaking to the press during his campaign trail in Upper Assam, Sarma said, “I welcome Hemant Soren to Assam. He can see the development that has taken place here over the years. He can visit tea garden areas and witness the transformation on the ground.”
Taking a swipe at the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government, Sarma added that Soren could draw lessons from Assam’s progress.
“We now have good roads, better infrastructure, and focused welfare measures. Jharkhand is lagging behind in development, and Soren can learn from Assam’s model,” he said.
Sarma’s remarks came on a day when Soren is campaigning for Jai Bharat Party’s Tiharu Gaur, the JMM and Jai Bharat Party’s nominated candidate from the 70 No. Biswanath Assembly constituency.
Addressing a 13,000-strong gathering at Dhuli Tea Estate in Biswanath on April 4, Soren said that he got the opportunity to visit homes in Assam and listen to the hardships faced by the people.
Jharkhand CM Soren addresses a gathering at Dhuli Tea Estate as Tiharu Gaur looks on. (AT Photo)
“I visited the home of a tea worker and saw their condition. They are living without electricity in a small room without even a bed,” he said. The Chief Minister also accused the BJP of being “power thieves”.
“Since the BJP came to power in 2016, people have been forced to stand in queues for every basic necessity,” he said.
Recently, Soren, during his visit to the state, expressed confidence that tea tribe communities, considered a key voter base, may shift their support towards the JMM and its allies.
The tea garden electorate continues to be a decisive factor in Assam polls, and Soren's campaign is being seen as an attempt to consolidate this segment.
Sources said that several Adivasi student organisations and affiliated bodies have extended support to the JMM candidate, suggesting a change in grassroots alignments. The BJP, which had earlier drawn backing from sections of these groups, is now facing discontent over unresolved issues.
JMM has fielded 21 candidates for the 126-member Assam Assembly elections.
With inputs from IANS