Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted on Saturday that members of the Bangladesh-origin minority community predominantly voted for the Congress in the recent Lok Sabha elections, overlooking the developmental initiatives undertaken by the BJP-led governments at both the Centre and in the state. He further alleged that this community is the sole group in Assam that engages in communal activities.
Speaking at a felicitation event for the winning candidates of the BJP and its allies at the party's state headquarters here, Sarma highlighted that the ruling coalition secured nearly 47 per cent of the total votes cast, while the Congress and its allies managed 39 per cent. "The Congress' 39 per cent vote share isn't evenly spread across the state. Fifty per cent of it is concentrated in 21 assembly segments which have a significant minority population. In these minority-dominated areas, the BJP received only 3 per cent of the votes," he claimed.
"This proves that Hindus do not engage in communalism. If communalism exists in Assam, it is only from one community, one religion. No other religion does it," asserted the Chief Minister, refraining from explicitly naming any specific group. Sarma pointed out that despite some minority-dominated areas lacking basic amenities like roads and electricity, they consistently vote in large numbers for the Congress. "In contrast, although the BJP has been actively working for the welfare of the Assamese people and tribals, these communities have not universally supported the saffron party," he added.
"Except in Karimganj, if we consider areas predominantly inhabited by Bangladesh-origin people, 99 per cent of the votes went to the Congress," he stated. "They (members of the minority community) may reside in houses provided by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, benefiting from electricity and sanitation facilities provided by Modi, but when it comes to voting, they choose Congress," Sarma claimed.
He reiterated his concern that the Bangladesh-origin community votes for the Congress with the aim to "control the state in the next 10 years." Sarma also accused members of the community of attacking a police station in Lakhimpur, a village in Barpeta, and attempting to encroach on land in Kokrajhar during a period when the BJP government was perceived to be inactive due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). "When the BJP government is not in power, one can only imagine how many such incidents will occur," he warned.
Highlighting the electoral success of the BJP and its allies, Sarma noted that they secured victories in 92 out of 126 assembly segments in the Lok Sabha elections, marking the highest ever tally for any ruling alliance in the state. "This time, we garnered 47 per cent of the votes. Our goal will be to achieve 50 per cent of the votes in the 2026 state elections," he affirmed. Sarma reiterated that the BJP is committed to nation-building and will continue to prioritize the development of all regions, regardless of electoral outcomes in those areas.
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