“CM Must Remember the People Are the Real King”: MP Gaurav Gogoi Targets Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent comments referring to himself as a “king” have stirred public criticism and sparked a sharp political response from Congress MP and Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi.

The controversy erupted after the Chief Minister, while speaking to media about watching Zubeen Garg’s last film Roi Roi Binale, remarked that he would watch the movie later to allow the public to go first. “First comes the people, then the king,” Sarma said. “Those who think of themselves as the king went ahead, booked tickets in bulk, and occupied seats, preventing ordinary viewers from watching the film.”

He further added, “The public will have access first, and I will follow later. Those trying to sit ahead of me forget: Zubeen’s legacy is the property of the people, not of a king.”

Sarma also took a dig at mass ticket bookings, saying, “Some took 200 seats, some 300. A king should stand at the end of the line, not the front. The public should enjoy the movie first; the king will watch later.”

Also Read: “What’s Happening in Northeast’s Top Universities?” — Gaurav Gogoi Writes to PM, To Raise Issue in Parliament

However, the Chief Minister’s repeated references to himself as a “king” have drawn widespread reactions on social media — and a strong rebuttal from Congress MP and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Gaurav Gogoi.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Gogoi wrote,

“CM Himanta Biswa Sarma calls himself a ‘King,’ but he has forgotten that the public is the king and he is the servant. Once you take the people as the king, then you will be on the right track and your work will be in order. This is the difference between CM Sarma and us. He wants to silence voices; we want people to speak freely. He wants people to fear; we want them to live without fear.”

Meanwhile, speaking to the media at Kheroni in Assam's Karbi Anglong today, Gogoi went further, saying that the people of Assam are gradually losing interest and trust in the Chief Minister’s words. “No one wants to hear him anymore, and the public finds it difficult to believe what he says,” the APCC president remarked.

He added, “Himanta Biswa Sarma is steadily emptying his own credibility. He should not consider the people of Assam as fools, nor should he try to instill fear among ordinary citizens. Power does not last forever — and when the time comes, he will have to stand with those who once tried to spread fear.”

Predicting political change, Gogoi asserted, “In 2026, Himanta Biswa Sarma will be the former Chief Minister of Assam.”