Assam BJP: Ground slips under Bhupen Borah and LoP Saikia’s feet

 Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: During the ongoing panchayat election campaign, reports have emerged that the people of Assam have been driving out Congress leaders and workers from their villages, accusing them of being anti-Assam. Notably, in the first phase of elections held on May 2, APCC president Bhupen Borah failed to hold even a single successful public meeting in his home constituency, Ronganodi, said the BJP in a statement. The BJP further said that shockingly, residents of Ronganodi even boycotted Congress campaign events, including in Bhogpur, his home panchayat. “Despite holding press conferences in air-conditioned hotels in Guwahati, Bhupen Borah faced complete rejection from his own people. Similarly, MLA Bharat Narah was nowhere to be seen in his Nowboicha constituency during the campaign. In Nazira, a traditional Congress stronghold, poor attendance at rallies signalled that Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia is losing ground rapidly. Overall, in the first phase of elections, Congress leaders were unable to enter villages of indigenous locals due to overwhelming public resentment. Out of fear of public outrage, state Congress leaders were forced to retreat and scale back their campaigns. Even when MP Gaurav Gogoi was present at rallies, the events remained dull and poorly attended,” said state BJP spokesperson Ranjib Kumar Sharma in a statement. He said that Congress leaders are facing public anger across Assam. In Nalbari, black flags were shown to MP Gaurav Gogoi with slogans labelling him a ‘Pakistani agent’. The people of Mahiyan Patbausi reportedly boycotted his meetings altogether. Allegations of selling party ‘tickets for money have also surfaced against Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain and Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi. Even in minority-dominated’ regions—traditionally a loyal vote bank for Congress—the party now faces ‘intense public fury.

He said that Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma is leading the campaign from the front, along with state president Dilip Saikia, Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita, all state ministers, MPs, MLAs, and even booth-level leaders. As a result, a clear wave of support is seen for BJP and its allied candidates in every panchayat.

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