Sonowal Pitches BJP's Development Record at Assam Poll Rallies

Guwahati, April 6 — Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal took the campaign trail to Tihu and Dhemaji on Sunday, rallying support for BJP candidates ahead of the upcoming Assam elections and making the case that the state has seen its most significant development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

Sonowal framed the election as more than a political contest, describing it as a fight to protect Assam's identity, culture, and way of life.

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Sonowal cited a string of figures to back the BJP's record in office.

He claimed that over 8 lakh land pattas have been distributed to residents, and more than 1.5 lakh government jobs filled through what he described as a transparent recruitment process.

He also pointed to welfare schemes including Arunodoi — the state's direct benefit transfer programme for women — and housing support under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) as examples of inclusive governance that has reached ordinary families across the state.

Sonowal gave particular emphasis to infrastructure gains in the North Bank region of Assam, an area he accused Congress of historically neglecting.

He cited railway electrification, highway expansion, and the Bogibeel Bridge — the country's longest rail-road bridge, connecting Dhemaji to Dibrugarh — as tangible achievements under BJP rule.

These projects, he argued, have opened up connectivity and economic opportunity in areas that were long underserved.

Sonowal did not hold back in his criticism of the opposition, alleging that Congress policies actively encouraged illegal infiltration into Assam and slowed down development in the region.

He accused the party of divisive politics that he said worked against the interests of the state's indigenous communities.

Closing his rallies with a familiar BJP refrain in Assam, Sonowal urged voters to back BJP candidates in the interest of safeguarding jati, mati, bheti — a phrase meaning community, land, and homestead that has become central to the party's cultural appeal in the state.

He said the government remains committed to balancing welfare delivery with broader economic development as it seeks another term in office.