Amit Shah’s Assam visit to centre on assembly complex, sports infrastructure and poll talks

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Assam on January 29 for a two-day visit focused on major infrastructure announcements and political consultations ahead of the Assembly elections.

Shah is scheduled to land at Dibrugarh airport in the evening and stay overnight in Upper Assam. During the visit, he will meet senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and review preparations for the upcoming polls. “He will meet senior BJP leaders and discuss poll strategies for the upcoming Assembly polls,” a senior official said.

A key programme on Friday will be the laying of the foundation stone for the Assam Assembly’s second complex in Dibrugarh at 11 am. The project, estimated at Rs 284 crore, will include a new Assembly building, an MLA hostel, an 800-capacity auditorium and a 400-capacity barracks. According to the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), the complex is expected to be completed within 30 months.

Shah will also inaugurate the first phase of a modern, multi-disciplinary sports complex in Dibrugarh. “The Union home minister will inaugurate the first phase of the project, comprising an indoor stadium, swimming pool, football field, main gallery, tennis court, volleyball court, basketball court and hostels built at a cost of Rs 238 crore,” the DIPR said.

He will later lay the foundation stone for the second phase, which will add seating for 30,000 spectators, a central playground, an athletic track and lifts, at an additional cost of Rs 209 crore.

Another major announcement includes the foundation stone laying of the Institute of Wildlife Health and Research at Dinjan, aimed at strengthening research, diagnostics and policy support for wildlife conservation. Shah will also virtually launch projects for the restoration and rejuvenation of wetlands across Assam under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund Scheme.

“All the programmes of Shah in Dibrugarh will be organised centrally at Khanikar Parade Ground. After unveiling the projects, he will address a public rally there,” an official said.

Later on Friday, Shah will travel to Dhemaji district to attend the Takam Mising Porin Kebang Youth Festival as chief guest, marking his participation in a major cultural event of the Mising community. In the evening, he will visit the Assam BJP headquarters in Guwahati for discussions on the state’s political situation before departing for West Bengal at 7 pm.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and other senior BJP leaders will accompany Shah during the visit.

This is Shah’s second visit to Assam since December 29 last year, when he undertook a one-day tour to launch several government projects. Elections to Assam’s 126 Assembly constituencies are expected to be held in March–April.