Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday launched a sharp political attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, alleging that he is a “Pakistani agent” and claiming that his wife is also Pakistani. Throwing an open challenge, Sarma said Gogoi should take legal action against him if he has the courage.
The Chief Minister made the remarks while speaking to reporters after distributing financial assistance to 37,000 women under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Yojana in the Teok Assembly segment. The event was held at the playground of Jorhat Institute of Science and Technology, where beneficiaries received cheques of ₹10,000 each to support women-led entrepreneurship.
Sarma said that details regarding Gogoi’s alleged links with Pakistan would be made public in February. He added that if the allegations proved false, that would become clear, and if true, the reality would be exposed before the public.
Hinting at the political roadmap ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, Sarma suggested that the polls could be held before Bohag Bihu. He said the timing would depend on public sentiment and that the Election Commission could announce the election schedule at any time. On candidate selection, Sarma stated that nominees have been finalised in constituencies with a single aspirant, while in seats with multiple contenders, winnability would be the key criterion.
He also made it clear that recent entrants into the BJP should not expect tickets, stressing that priority would be given to party workers who have been active on the ground for the past five years.
Taking a swipe at Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi, Sarma said he makes statements “morning and evening” without substance, while the government speaks with purpose and faith in God. Attacking the Congress, the Chief Minister described the party as a “dark chapter of history” and accused it of settling the Miya community in Assam.
Reacting to statements by Assam Jatiya Parishad leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Sarma said paying tribute to Syama Prasad Mukherjee is not a challenge. He added that if Lurinjyoti Gogoi were to sever ties with the Congress alliance, a statue would be installed in his honour in front of the BJP office. Sarma further alleged that Lurinjyoti Gogoi lacks an independent political identity and merely follows Rahul Gandhi.
The Chief Minister’s remarks have further intensified political tensions in Assam as the state moves closer to the Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, the Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also strongly criticised the Congress at a separate press conference on Thursday, alleging that the party in the state is being steered by what it termed “pro-Pakistan elements” and has drifted away from the interests of Assam’s indigenous communities.
Addressing reporters at the Assam Pradesh BJP headquarters, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan in Guwahati, state BJP spokesperson Kamal Kumar Medhi accused senior Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi and Rakibul Hussain of harbouring pro-Pakistan leanings and conspiring to marginalise indigenous Assamese communities for electoral gains.
Medhi alleged that Gaurav Gogoi has links with Pakistan and claimed that Rakibul Hussain inherited pro-Pakistan sentiments from his father, Nurul Hussain, whom he described as a former Muslim League volunteer during the pre-Independence period. According to Medhi, Nurul Hussain had campaigned for Muhammad Ali Jinnah and hoisted the Pakistani flag at his residence.
“Today, Gaurav Gogoi and Rakibul Hussain are together attempting to fulfil the unfinished agenda of the erstwhile Muslim League,” Medhi claimed, asserting that under their leadership, the Congress no longer prioritises the interests of Assam or its indigenous people.
The BJP spokesperson further alleged that the two leaders were aligning with what he described as “aggressive migrant Miya Muslims” and accused them of pursuing a long-term political agenda. Medhi claimed that elections were being used as a tool to implement this agenda in Miya-dominated constituencies, leading to the Congress being turned into a “Miya-centric party.”
He went on to allege that this political alignment poses a threat to indigenous communities and people of Indian origin, accusing the Congress leadership of attempting to suppress them through communal polarisation and targeted mobilisation.
Issuing a direct appeal, Medhi urged “indigenous, patriotic and Assam-loving” individuals within the Congress to sever ties with the party. “No person who truly loves Assam and its people should remain associated with the Congress any longer,” he said.
Highlighting internal party dynamics, Medhi also claimed that of the 720 applications received by the Congress for tickets in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, more than 600 were from candidates belonging to a single, unnamed community. He further alleged that if current trends continue, the next Assam Legislative Assembly might not have a single Congress MLA from indigenous or Indian-origin communities.
The exchange of allegations has added to the intensifying political atmosphere in Assam ahead of the Assembly elections.