Is BJP Losing Grip on Assam? Opposition Accuses Sarma of Targeting Minorities and Ignoring State Issues

Guwahati: The political temperature in Assam rose sharply on Saturday as the opposition launched a broad and coordinated attack on the BJP and the state government, accusing them of ten years of failure on the illegal foreigners issue, erosion of constitutional values, communal polarisation, corruption, cultural alienation and deliberate political deception ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi, who began the day by offering prayers at Notboma on the occasion of ‘Me-Dam-Me-Phi’, described the day as deeply significant and said he sought the blessings of ancestors for the future of Assam. Extending greetings to the people of the state, Gogoi said Assam’s strength lies in its cultural roots and inclusive traditions.

Reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement that illegal foreigners would be expelled if the BJP returns to power for a third term, Gogoi said the remark itself exposed the BJP’s failure over the last decade. He said that despite ten years in power at the Centre and years of a “double-engine government” in Assam, the BJP had failed to deliver on one of its core promises.

Gogoi said if the BJP could not deport foreigners even after ten years, there was little reason to believe it would be able to do so in the coming days. He accused the party of repeatedly using the issue as an election slogan while avoiding accountability. Drawing a parallel with recent events in Manipur, Gogoi alleged that the BJP had divided the state under its rule and was now attempting to pursue similar divisive politics in Assam. He said the BJP worked only in the interests of the wealthy and powerful, asserting that Assam was not the property of any one family or individual.

The Congress leader also launched a sharp personal attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of being disconnected from Assam’s cultural and ideological legacy. Gogoi said the Chief Minister neither understood Bhupen Hazarika’s vision of a “Natun Bor Axom” greater, inclusive Assam in his song. Instead, he alleged, the Chief Minister was preoccupied with cattle and coal syndicates and had forgotten the real issues of the state.

Accusing Sarma of repeatedly targeting minorities, Gogoi said the Chief Minister spent more time speaking about “Miya” than addressing Assam’s developmental challenges. He further alleged that the Chief Minister did not respect the dignity of a constitutional post, ignored court orders and made statements unbecoming of his office. Referring to a recent incident in Dibrugarh, Gogoi claimed that Sarma had insulted Union Minister and former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, adding that internal conflicts within the BJP had now become public.

Gogoi also raised the issue of the Zubeen Garg case, alleging that the Centre had shown a complete lack of empathy. He said neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited the family, which continues to express pain and anguish over the denial of justice.

Assam Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur echoed Gogoi’s criticism of Amit Shah’s remarks, calling the renewed promise to deport foreigners a “pre-election jumla”. She said the BJP had made the same promise in 2016 and questioned how many foreigners had actually been deported during its ten years in power. Reacting to remarks made by the Chief Minister against the Congress during a public programme at Notboma, Borthakur said such comments were condemnable, particularly when made by someone holding a constitutional position. She added that Himanta Biswa Sarma was unfit to hold the office of Chief Minister and had repeatedly insulted constitutional institutions.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s repeated remarks targeting “Miya” also drew strong reactions from AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam, who said Sarma was not targeting a term but an entire community. Islam alleged that the Chief Minister was directly targeting Muslims and advised him to take rest, while urging the High Court and the Election Commission to take suo motu cognisance of his statements. He accused the Chief Minister of misusing public figures to polarise society and said the comments were dividing Assamese society. Islam further alleged that opposition unity was being deliberately weakened to benefit the BJP, going so far as to accuse Akhil Gogoi of acting at the behest of Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Adding to the opposition attack, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) leader Jagadish Bhuyan challenged Amit Shah to account for the BJP’s record since 2014. He said the party had repeated the same promises in every election while failing to deliver, particularly on flood control. Bhuyan questioned what scientific measures had been taken to make Assam flood-free, sarcastically referring to claims of boats running on Guwahati roads and planes on Dibrugarh streets.

Citing data previously presented in the Assembly, Bhuyan said while over 32,000 foreigners had been identified, only around 1,400 had been deported during Himanta Biswa Sarma’s tenure, questioning how long it would take to deport the remaining numbers if the BJP continued at the same pace. He warned that by 2026, the percentage of Assamese-speaking people would fall to 48 per cent. Bhuyan demanded deportation of the 19 lakh foreigners identified through the NRC, a review of the NRC process, implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, and stronger constitutional safeguards for Assamese people. He also raised concerns over the closure of thousands of Assamese-medium schools, the removal of Srimanta Sankardeva’s photograph from Raj Bhavan, and the scrapping of the highest civilian award named after Sankardeva, calling it hypocrisy.

Also Read: Akhil Gogoi Slams BJP Over ‘Hollow Promises’ on Deportation, Cites Assembly Data; Questions Amit Shah’s 2026 Pitch