Assam poll campaigns peak as BJP, Congress launch rival drives in Guwahati

Guwahati, Feb 5: With the Assam Assembly elections approaching, poll campaigns across Guwahati intensified on Thursday as both the ruling BJP and the principal Opposition Congress launched parallel outreach programmes aimed at mobilising grassroots support.

While the BJP kicked off its “Booth Bijoy Abhiyan” at booth number 32 in Jalukbari, the Congress flagged off its “Samay Paribartan – Maati Bochaok, Jaati Bochaok” rally from Manabendra Bhawan at Ganeshguri.

Led by senior party leaders, the Congress rally saw supporters and workers march through key city stretches, brandishing placards carrying slogans such as “Dekh’ot koi Mami dangor nohoi” (Mami is not bigger than the country).

The rally is planned to pass through Maa Kamakhya Mandir, Amingaon and Ganeshguri before proceeding towards Hotel Lily and later Zubeen Khetra in Sonapur.

Addressing the gathering outside Vandya International School during the rally in Amingaon, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of acting arbitrarily and alleged large-scale land grabbing by his family.

“Through this rally, we want to show how the Chief Minister is doing as he pleases and grabbing land everywhere. He has defied the law and, as per the information we have, his entire family has grabbed around 12,000 bighas of land across the state, flouting land laws,” Gogoi alleged.

Referring to the private educational institution, Gogoi said it was meant for the elite due to its high fee structure and questioned the government’s priorities.

“It is a shame that during the tenure of a person who has been the Education Minister, nearly 8,000 schools were closed, while his family has set up a 60-bigha elite school. We want to lay bare these facts before the people of Assam,” he claimed.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, also targeted the government over the state of education infrastructure.

“At a time when government school infrastructure is at an all-time low, the promotion of elite schools with unprecedented fee structures will hit common people hard,” Saikia said.

He further alleged that despite claims of safeguarding jaati, maati, bheti, there was an attempt to push more schools towards CBSE affiliation.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma formally launched the BJP’s Booth Bijoy Abhiyan at Jalukbari, stating that the campaign was being rolled out simultaneously across all Assembly constituencies in the state.

“Under this Abhiyan, BJP workers will distribute stickers, party flags and a booklet highlighting 50 achievements of the government. If a family does not want them, our workers will not force it. We will seek permission first before giving anything,” Sarma said.

With both major parties stepping up mobilisation efforts, the political battle lines in Assam appear firmly drawn as campaigning enters a decisive phase ahead of the elections.