BJP’s double-engine government will end with Himanta: Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel

Senior Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on January 20 claimed that the BJP’s “double-engine government” in Assam would come to an end with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of corruption and cronyism.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Baghel said the Congress, along with other like-minded opposition parties, is gearing up to fight the upcoming Assam Assembly elections unitedly. He asserted that the end of the “double-engine government” would also mark the end of what he termed as corruption and “gundagiri” in the state.

“Himanta Biswa Sarma is the reason for the massive corruption and gundagiri in Assam,” Baghel alleged, adding that according to the BJP’s own election affidavit, Sarma’s wealth had increased significantly over the years. He claimed that while Sarma’s assets were around Rs 17 crore in 2006, they had grown to nearly Rs 187 crore by 2021.

Referring to earlier remarks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Baghel said Sarma had once been described as the “most corrupt chief minister” in the country. He alleged that despite such accusations, Sarma was being protected by the BJP’s “washing machine” and questioned how he had repeatedly broken records in corruption while continuing to enjoy the party’s backing.

Baghel also recalled that Sarma had earlier been associated with the Congress and had served as a Congress minister before joining the BJP in 2015. He said the people of Assam would not tolerate what he described as misuse of power and would respond decisively in the upcoming elections.

Responding to queries on alliance-building, Baghel said discussions were underway with like-minded parties to form a united opposition front, while Congress leaders at the state and district levels were coordinating efforts to strengthen the alliance.

At the same press conference, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi said the party was working to overthrow the BJP-led government and would form a broad-based coalition with other opposition parties to challenge the ruling alliance.

Gogoi noted that the saffron party had previously split votes between Sarma and former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, but claimed that party members were now questioning the understanding between the BJP and its allies. He alleged that no one clearly understood the seat-sharing arrangement between the BJP and the Asom Gana Parishad, while also referring to tensions involving the Bodoland People’s Front and the United People’s Party Liberal.

The Congress leaders further alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were running an authoritarian regime at the Centre, which, according to them, was being replicated in Assam. They claimed that corruption had increased under the current government and said the party would expose it before the people.

The Congress reiterated its commitment to what it termed as a “Nava Assam” vision, asserting that it would continue to mobilise public opinion against the BJP-led government in the run-up to the Assembly elections.