Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday strongly rebutted allegations made by Congress leaders that their candidates in the upcoming panchayat elections are being intimidated and forced to withdraw their nominations. Sarma dismissed the claims as an attempt by the opposition to “defame Assam” and asserted that no formal complaints had been filed so far regarding such incidents.
Reacting to statements by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Kumar Borah and Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi, CM Sarma questioned the credibility of the allegations, stating that neither the media nor the administration has received any substantial reports of misconduct.
“Congress is saying this, but I have not seen it in local newspapers or TV channels. The Rabha Hasong election was held peacefully. There are 22,000 villages in Assam, yet they have only cited one or two examples. If there are genuine issues, the administration will act immediately,” Sarma told reporters in Guwahati.
He emphasised that the state administration, including the police and district officials, are maintaining neutrality during the election process. "If someone has been harassed, give us a specific complaint. We will take immediate action. Pradyut Bordoloi and Bhupen Borah may have spoken to the DGP, but no official complaints have been lodged by any candidates,” he added.
The Chief Minister also countered the claim of widespread candidate withdrawals, pointing out that over 2,000 candidates have filed nominations for more than 300 Zilla Parishad seats.
“This time we have the highest number of contestants in panchayat elections. There is no massive withdrawal of candidates happening. If it were true, it would have made headlines across the state,” Sarma said.
Congress, however, painted a different picture. Earlier in the day, APCC President Bhupen Borah alleged that BJP leaders, with the support of the state police, were orchestrating a campaign to pressure Congress candidates into backing out of the polls.
“Last night, all our candidates were threatened to withdraw their nomination. The police, who are supposed to represent the Constitution, are now working at the behest of BJP leaders,” Borah told ANI.
Echoing the sentiment, Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi accused the police of acting as a political tool. “The police force has been deployed to intimidate Congress members. The DGP must intervene. Our candidates have either been kidnapped, threatened, or forced to withdraw. Why is BJP afraid to face the elections?” Bordoloi said. He also criticised the Election Commission, calling it a “puppet” in the hands of the ruling party.
The upcoming panchayat elections in Assam are being closely watched as a precursor to the 2026 Assembly elections. CM Sarma acknowledged the importance of the polls, stating that the BJP views them as an opportunity to assess public sentiment.
“If there is a real contest, we will know where we stand before the Assembly polls. A year has passed since the Lok Sabha elections, and a year remains before the next Assembly polls. We want these elections to reflect the people’s voice,” the Chief Minister said.
With both sides escalating their rhetoric, all eyes are now on how the administration responds to the Congress's allegations and whether the Election Commission steps in to ensure a level playing field.
(ANI inputs)
