Under pressure from anti-CAA protests, the BJP may soon announce “something big” to salvage its “mottled image” in Assam.
The BJP had achieved extraordinary electoral results in the state assembly election in 2016 and the two Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
Now, the saffron party is now caught on the wrong foot in Assam over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Assam cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and announced that ‘good news’ regarding Assam was coming soon.
Happy to spend this #NewYear afternoon with Sri @AmitShah whom I adore for his clear thoughts. Had a long discussion with him about identity issues of Assamese, aspirations of our tribals community and strengthening nationalist thought process in NE. Will hear some good news soon
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 1, 2020
“Had a long discussion with him (Shah) about identity issues of Assamese, aspirations of our tribal communities and strengthening nationalist thought process in Northeast. Will hear some good news soon,” Sarma tweeted.
A meeting of BJP leaders was held in New Delhi on Wednesday, which was also attended by Himanta Biswa Sarma.
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Amit Shah had chaired the BJP meeting, and had reportedly discussed the issues regarding CAA outreach programme.
But, the BJP knows it well that there would be no takers for its outreach programme in Assam, and especially in the Brahmaputra Valley.
The leaders of the saffron party are convinced that the sudden spark of anti-CAA movement in Assam snowballed into larger protests across the country.
Himanta Biswa Sarma’s tweet is a clear indicator that the BJP is planning “something big” to douse the anti-CAA protests in Assam.
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After the electoral defeat in Jharkhand, the BJP leaders would be careful at every step in Assam as the state is scheduled to have assembly election in 2021.
People in the Brahmaputra Valley are worried that 1.3 crore Hindu Bangladeshis are going to land in Assam because of CAA.
Though Himanta Biswa Sarma and a section of BJP leaders repeatedly claimed that only 5.4 lakh people would be eligible for citizenship in Assam, there were no takers of the commitments.