Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Gaurav Gogoi accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday of seeking support from the AIUDF to secure a Rajya Sabha seat.
Gogoi said this move reveals what he described as the BJP’s “power-driven” approach, noting that Sarma, who has long labelled the AIUDF as a communal party, is now relying on its support to maintain his political position.
He claimed that three AIUDF MLAs, Karimuddin Barbhuiya, Nizamuddin Choudhury, and Zakir Hussain Laskar, had signed the nomination papers of the NDA’s Rajya Sabha candidate, Pramod Boro of the UPPL, and used this development to sharply criticise the Chief Minister.
Gogoi argued that for years, Sarma has portrayed the AIUDF as a threat to Assam, often using polarising language targeting the minority community with terms such as “Miya” and “Osinaki.”
He added that the Chief Minister has encouraged societal divisions through aggressive eviction drives and the use of “bulldozer politics.” According to Gogoi, once the BJP found itself short of numbers for the third Rajya Sabha seat, the party suddenly turned to the same AIUDF it had publicly criticised, revealing the BJP’s focus on retaining power.
Questioning the political inconsistency, Gogoi asked why the BJP had to rely on AIUDF support to ensure Pramod Boro’s victory if the party genuinely posed a threat. He suggested that the Chief Minister’s earlier rhetoric may have been more for show than principle.
“The Chief Minister often speaks of ideology and values, but when his authority is at risk, those principles vanish,” Gogoi said, adding that protecting Assam now seems secondary to safeguarding his political position.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia claimed that the situation proves the AIUDF functions as the BJP’s “B-team.” He noted that although a UPPL minister is already part of Sarma’s cabinet, the BJP had to rely on AIUDF MLAs to secure the Rajya Sabha seat for UPPL president Pramod Boro.
Saikia said that while the BJP and AIUDF publicly deny any ideological ties, their cooperation reveals a shared focus on sustaining political power. He further alleged that the BJP has maintained a hidden relationship with the AIUDF, describing public clashes between the parties as a strategic ploy to mislead voters.
Saikia said the BJP relies heavily on the AIUDF, describing its support as essential “oxygen” for the party’s survival.