Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
He described Sarma as the “most fearful political leader in Assam’s history” and accused him of misusing the Home Department and police machinery to survive in politics.
Addressing a Mandal Convention at Abhayapuri in Bongaigaon district, Gogoi said Sarma remains constantly haunted by the fear of losing power. He claimed that the day the BJP begins to decline, Sarma will leave the party.
Gogoi alleged that the Chief Minister practises politics purely for personal gain. He also accused Sarma of abandoning principles whenever he senses political danger.
The convention drew thousands of Congress workers and supporters. Several senior leaders attended the event, including AICC observer Bandhu Tirkey, AICC secretary Prithviraj Sathe, MP Rakibul Hussain, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, former MP Abdul Khaleque, and multiple Congress MLAs.
During his address, Gogoi asserted that Congress will form the next government in Assam. “From Howraghat to Moran, from Bihpuria to Rangiya, people are gathering in large numbers. From the hills to Upper and Lower Assam, the response is overwhelming. This clearly shows that the Congress government is coming,” he said.
He further claimed that the BJP has already conceded several seats after witnessing Congress’ growing strength.
Referring to the recent Lok Sabha elections, Gogoi said the BJP deployed its entire Cabinet in Jorhat. He added that the Prime Minister visited repeatedly and the party spent huge sums of money. “Despite all this, the people of Assam stood with self-respect and defeated them,” he said.
Gogoi said Congress will repeat its performance in Dibrugarh, Kaziranga, Karbi Anglong, and Lakhimpur. He also predicted a “Congress tsunami” from Upper Assam sweeping through Lower Assam.
Taking aim at Sarma, Gogoi said the Chief Minister now worries only about saving himself. Recalling Rahul Gandhi’s statement in Guwahati, he said Sarma would go to jail when Congress forms the next government. “That fear drives him,” Gogoi said.
He praised Rahul Gandhi’s leadership and contrasted it with Sarma’s politics. “Rahul Gandhi never lies. He walked 4,000 kilometres from Kashmir to Kanyakumari spreading love in a marketplace of hatred. That is our leader,” he said.
Gogoi further alleged that after Congress made it clear it would never take Sarma back, even if he apologised, Sarma contacted AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal. He accused Sarma of asking Ajmal to revive Assam politics to save him.
“Himanta Biswa Sarma only wants to fuel the AIUDF vehicle,” Gogoi said. He alleged that Sarma calls AIUDF MLAs at night and offers them unlimited resources. However, he claimed that the AIUDF vehicle was “punctured” in the last Lok Sabha election by MP Rakibul Hussain.
Gogoi accused Sarma of sheltering in communal politics. He also alleged that syndicates dealing in cow smuggling, coal, and betel nut flourished under BJP rule.
Questioning Sarma’s image, Gogoi asked whether India has ever seen a “Hindu leader” who thrives on cow-smuggling money. “You cannot claim to protect Hindu values while benefiting from such syndicates,” he said.
Calling Sarma the “Hindu Jinnah,” Gogoi said his ideology mirrors that of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He added that Indian Muslims remained in India because they respect the Constitution, Mahatma Gandhi, and Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
Gogoi also accused Sarma of switching parties repeatedly, from AASU to Congress and then to BJP whenever he sensed danger. He challenged Sarma to publicly declare that he would remain in BJP even if the party loses power.
Alleging nepotism, Gogoi said Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma has become one of the most powerful individuals in Assam. He claimed government funds flow to companies owned by Sarma’s wife and son.
He accused the BJP government of failing to provide jobs, shutting down government schools, opening liquor shops in villages, and harassing people through eviction and NRC-style drives.
Reflecting on his own political journey, Gogoi said his late father and former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi advised him to enter politics only to serve the people.
He also accused the BJP of betraying the Koch-Rajbongshi community by dividing them into ST-P and ST-V categories and suppressing their movement for Scheduled Tribe status.
Targeting the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Gogoi said the party weakened itself by aligning with Himanta Biswa Sarma. “AGP destroyed itself by supporting a party that betrayed the Assam Accord,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, AICC observer Bandhu Tirkey urged people to free Assam from corruption and syndicate rule. Drawing parallels with Jharkhand, he said BJP jailed Chief Minister Hemant Soren on false charges but lost power due to public resistance.
MP Rakibul Hussain said BJP leaders fear the growing turnout at Congress rallies. “People attend BJP rallies only after payment. People attend Congress rallies voluntarily,” he said.
The meeting also saw participation from MLAs Zakir Hussain Sikdar, Pradip Sarkar, Wazed Ali Choudhury, A.K. Rashid, Asif Nazar, Aftabuddin Molla, Abdul Baten, Rashid Mondal, and several senior Congress leaders.