BJP Blocking Hoardings? Congress Vows Legal Battle Ahead of Polls

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Sunday held a high-level meeting of its Campaign Committee at Rajiv Bhavan, chaired by MP Rakibul Hussain.

The meeting, which drew senior party leaders including MLA Sibamoni Bora, MLA Abdur Rahim Ahmed, and MLA Abdus Sobahan Ali Sarkar, focused on strategies for the upcoming state elections.

Under Hussain’s leadership, the committee discussed the party’s advertising and outreach strategy across newspapers, television, hoardings, and digital platforms.

Hussain alleged that several advertising agencies had informed Congress that they were instructed by the BJP not to install Congress hoardings, describing it as an attempt to block the Opposition’s visibility ahead of the polls.

“If agencies deny space due to political pressure, we will challenge it legally,” Hussain said.

The meeting also saw the formation of five sub-committees to oversee media outreach, digital campaigns, publicity, ground-level mobilisation, and legal affairs, laying the groundwork for a coordinated campaign across Assam.

A significant shift in Congress’s strategy was unveiled at the meeting, with Hussain revealing that the party’s advertisements and publicity efforts would focus heavily on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, rather than the party itself.

The campaign is expected to highlight controversial statements by singer Zubeen Garg earlier, who had reportedly urged voters not to support the BJP, along with claims that the Chief Minister attempted to suppress these remarks. Hussain further noted that Congress would draw attention to instances where certain music video scenes were allegedly copied and used symbolically to portray Zubeen negatively.

“We will also question who sponsored these attempts to silence Zubeen,” Hussain said, adding that the narrative could resonate with younger voters, particularly Gen-Z, who are reportedly critical of the Chief Minister.

In addition to highlighting these political narratives, Hussain said the party intends to showcase the Chief Minister’s own statements on youth-related issues, environmental concerns, and comparisons of Assam’s situation with Nepal. Congress believes presenting the CM’s words in the campaign will help shape voter perception ahead of the elections.

The meeting also addressed governance issues. Hussain raised concerns over the Chief Minister’s promise of 25 lakh jobs, which the party claims remains unfulfilled. On the government’s initiative to grant land rights to tea garden communities, Hussain welcomed the move but questioned its timing and implementation.

“When will this land actually be allotted? Will beneficiaries be able to access loans? If Scheduled Tribe status is granted before the election, people will appreciate it, but if it is used solely as an election tactic, the public will see through it,” he said.

With the sub-committees now in place, Congress is preparing to launch a full-scale campaign in the coming weeks, combining legal action, digital outreach, and targeted political messaging across Assam.

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