Congress candidate list driven by nepotism, claims Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday launched a strong attack on the Congress after the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee released its latest list of candidates, alleging that the selections were driven by nepotism and family connections.

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Sarma claimed that the Congress list reflects what he described as dynastic politics and said a closer look would make the pattern clear.

“Yesterday, the Assam Pradesh Congress released the list of its candidates. It's another matter that I had already received this list, but if you analyse it, it will be clear that the candidates have been selected on the basis of nepotism and familial connections,” the Chief Minister said.

He further remarked that the list of the Congress party is a reflection of dynastic politics.

"The son of Tarun Bordoloi, the son of Dr Bhumidhar Barman, the son of late Tarun Gogoi, the son of late Hiteswar Saikia, the daughter-in-law of a late Gogoi — if you look at it this way, the entire list of candidates for Congress is all about descendants. It is a list consisting of the children of leaders passed down through generations," he added.

Drawing a contrast with the BJP, Sarma said his party follows a different political approach.

“In contrast, if you look at the BJP's Rajya Sabha list today, to whom did we give candidature? Terash Gowalla. Nobody would know the names of their parents. Respected parents, but they never came into public limelight. Jogen Mohan’s parents would also be respected, but he was never involved in politics,” he said.

The Chief Minister further added that the entire objective of the Bharatiya Janata Party is to bring forward ordinary children from ordinary families, adding, "That is why we have an ideological difference with Congress. It is their political character that the Congress party always gives tickets to the children of big leaders.”

“So whether you look at the Rajya Sabha, the by-elections, the Lok Sabha, or the list for our Assembly that will come out — with one or two exceptions — 99 per cent are children of ordinary middle-class, lower-middle-class and poor families whom we, as a party, bring forward. We are a completely grassroots-oriented political party,” Sarma.

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