Guwahati: At a public event in Guwahati on November 10, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticised the Assam Congress leadership in very sharp terms. He accused its state president of not being able to understand politics and indulging in what he called “childish play”.
Speaking after the ceremonial rollout of a welfare scheme aimed at providing subsidised masoor dal, sugar and salt to NFSA beneficiaries, Sarma answered a question on the Congress’s claim of regular new membership drives.
He further dismissed the claim, saying, “This is not joining. If someone joins a party, there must be a leader’s name attached to it. The Congress president here does not understand politics; this is scant child’s play.
Earlier, Gaurav Gogoi took to his social media and announced the mass induction into the Congress party, claiming it to be one of its largest single-day inductions in recent months. He wrote, "Today more than 8,000 people from across Assam are expected to join the Congress party."
The Chief Minister contrasted the Congress's approach, characterising it as a publicity gimmick. He further asserts that the ruling government is focusing on governance, "busy improving lives through welfare and development". However, the opponents remain wrapped up in optics.
The launching of the welfare scheme was attended by senior officials and beneficiaries; it marked the expansion in the distribution of subsidised food items for low-income households under the National Food Security Act.
Sarma asserted that such steps underline the government's mission of inclusive economic relief. Sarma's remarks are likely to sharpen the campaign narrative, especially as the Congress attempts to assert its relevance in Assam's evolving political landscape.
Put simply, the episode underscores the growing schism: the case of policy delivery and welfare initiatives being touted by the ruling side, and an opposition that is mired in spectacle. Whether this will translate into an electoral advantage remains to be seen.