Assam election: Congress’s Manoj Chauhan targets Himanta on graft, evictions

You were recently on the ground across Assam. How do you see Congress’s chances this time?

I have gone to Assam down to the booth level. I have gone to many districts, many blocks, many assemblies, mandals—right down to the booth level in Assam.

So the mood of the public is that the people want to change the Himanta Biswa Sarma government, and this election in April will be one where the public itself will fight the election.

The corruption of Himanta Biswa Sarma, some of his ministers, and his own wife is at such a level that the public is fed up, the public is troubled, the public is waiting for April to come so that they can press the EVM button and evict the Himanta Biswa Sarma government from Assam.

You are calling corruption the central issue. Are these allegations, or do you see this as established?

I am not making allegations. This is established corruption. This is in the public domain. His corruption, his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma’s corruption—this is in the public domain.

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And when the entire family becomes involved in corruption, then the public does not forgive.

In September, after a Congress meeting chaired by Rahul Gandhi, Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted even before your party did. There were also claims about “sleeper cells” in Congress. How big a challenge is that?

That is a separate issue. I do not want to go into that.

What Rahul ji said—there was a meeting in Sivasagar, in which respected Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge sahab was present, Rahul ji was present, and organisation in-charge KC Venugopal ji was present.

In that meeting, Rahul ji himself said that the same media which today shows Himanta Biswa Sarma as Assam chief minister will show him going to jail when the Assam Assembly election results come.

He said this because earlier, during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam, he had said that the most corrupt chief minister in this country is Himanta Biswa Sarma. So Rahul ji did not make baseless accusations. These were said publicly in public meetings.

There is a perception that Congress is stronger among Ahoms and Muslims, but weaker among groups like Moran, Motok, Sutiya, Rajbongshi, tea tribes, and others. What are you doing to widen your base?

No, no, no. Your assumption is incorrect. You said our main grip is only among Ahoms—no, no, not only there.

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Right now, our general convention is going on. Today the fifth convention has been completed. Six conventions are to be held, and tomorrow will be the last one. Grassroots-level workers from many districts are coming together.

The first convention was held in Karbi Anglong on the 21st (of January), in the Howraghat Assembly constituency. People from many districts were there, especially from Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.

You will believe me, I was shocked. The meeting was called on the 20th. Only 24 to 36 hours’ notice was given. In just one day’s call, 12,000 to 15,000 people from Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao attended, including 5,000 to 6,000 women.

Why? Because Himanta Biswa Sarma gave thousands of bighas of land in Karbi Anglong to Adani and Ambani. Whose land? The land of hill tribes, which cannot be sold or transferred. That land was given to Adani and Ambani.

People are waiting. As I said, I do not know what kind of news reaches here, but people there are waiting. Our grip among these communities has increased tremendously in the last three to four months.

Because Congress is the only option for them. They have seen the 15 years of Tarun Gogoi sahab.

Your party appointed Priyanka Gandhi as chairperson of the screening committee. Is that meant to take Himanta Biswa Sarma head-on? Has this become a prestige battle?

What are you talking about? Comparing Himanta Biswa Sarma with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi? A person whose entire political journey is filled with crime, corruption, and arrogance—how can you compare him with Rahul ji and Priyanka ji?

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Rahul ji’s journey is honest—standing with the poor, Dalits, backward classes, farmers, youth, women. He is the only leader fighting Modi eye-to-eye, from the streets to Parliament, without fear or fatigue.

Priyanka Gandhi ji is a very big leader. She strengthens the party across the country. People listen to her, want to see her. She has a distinct impact.

She is the chairperson of the central screening committee and will oversee ticket allocation. She campaigns in every state—Telangana, Karnataka, Himachal, Assam. She is our star campaigner, and her presence converts into seats.

In Assam, minority votes have historically been contested, with fears of vote dents or splits. What is Congress’s strategy to prevent that?

Look at the 2024 Lok Sabha election. In Dhubri, our MP Rakibul Hussain won by over 10 lakh votes, defeating Badruddin Ajmal. Why would votes divide?

Owaisi is the BJP’s B-team. Their job is to divide secular votes.

But Assam is different. Assam is inherently secular, with many communities, tribes, cultures, plains and hills, Ahom, tea garden workers, Bodo, Garo, Assamese, Bengali—everyone lives together.

Assam was known for Bihu, Maa Kamakhya, Bhupen Hazarika, Zubeen Garg, Kaziranga. People lived with love. BJP and especially Himanta Biswa Sarma polluted this environment with hatred and polarisation.

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Assam’s DNA is love and hospitality. No caste, no religion—just humanity. Zubeen Garg captured this spirit when he said, “Mor kono jaati nai, mor kono dhormo nai, moi mukta, moi Kanchenjunga.”

This is the Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma destroyed.

BJP repeatedly raises “Bangladeshi infiltration”. Evictions and demolitions have also happened, especially in minority areas. How big are these issues on the ground?

If infiltration is happening, who is responsible? The Home Minister is Amit Shah. The Chief Minister is Himanta Biswa Sarma. There is a double-engine government. Why don’t they stop it?

They want to polarise the election. But people will not fall for divisive politics. They are fed up with corruption, including his wife’s corruption. They are just waiting for April.

Gaurav Gogoi has been projected as a key face. What impact do you see, and what strategy is behind it?

Gaurav Gogoi has his own impact. He is a youth icon. Surveys show that youth prefer Gaurav Gogoi over Himanta Biswa Sarma by a large margin.

He is spotless—no allegations. Tarun Gogoi was chief minister for 15 years with not a single allegation.

Himanta Biswa Sarma has been CM for five years and looted the state.

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Coal, supari, cattle, land—everything has syndicates. Thousands of crores have been made.

His wife owns land near Guwahati airport, an international school, a resort in Kaziranga, tea gardens in multiple districts, hundreds of bighas of land converted from farmers’ land.

This level of corruption—people are extremely angry. The pot of sins is full. See what happens in April.

There is resentment among minorities who feel Congress let them down on issues like evictions. How do you respond?

That is not true. Congress is Gandhi’s party. We are secular.

We believe in the Constitution, not polarisation.

This country will run on the Constitution, not on orders from Nagpur.

Zubeen Garg drew huge public emotion, with millions attending his funeral. How significant is he for Assam and the election climate?

Zubeen Garg was not just an artist—he was the biggest symbol of Assam’s composite culture.

He sang in around 40 languages, yet when he died, he had only Rs 10,000 in his account.

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His money went to poor children’s education, medical treatment, helping people start small businesses. He gave away 90 per cent of his property to the people of Assam.

As many as 40 to 50 lakh people came to see him for the last time—not just an artist, but a messiah of the poor.

What Zubeen Garg said reflects Article 15 of the Constitution—no discrimination based on religion, caste, language, gender, or birthplace. This is what Congress and Rahul Gandhi say.

Rahul Gandhi personally visited Zubeen Garg’s family, paid tribute at his memorial, and spoke about his philosophy.

Yet Prime Minister Modi visited Assam twice recently and did not even mention Zubeen Garg once.

We assure you—Congress leadership and workers will continue to stand firmly for justice for Zubeen Garg.