Sivasagar a tough seat for BJP, says Himanta; refers Akhil Gogoi as 'suma-baba'

Himanta Biswa Sarma on February 18 described the Sivasagar Assembly constituency as a “tough” seat for the BJP, stating that the party is not particularly strong there and faces internal challenges in selecting a candidate.

Speaking about the political prospects of Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi in the Sivasagar seat, the Chief Minister refrained from predicting the outcome. 

He recalled that during his previous visit to Sivasagar, many women had referred to Gogoi as “suma-baba,” adding that Gogoi was present alongside him at the time.

“I cannot say whether he will win or lose. I won’t comment on his victory or defeat,” Sarma said, making it clear that he did not wish to speculate on Gogoi’s electoral chances.

However, the Chief Minister candidly admitted that Sivasagar remains a challenging constituency for the Bharatiya Janata Party. “For BJP, Sivasagar is a tough seat and not an easy one,” he stated.

Sarma further explained that the party has multiple aspirants eyeing the Sivasagar ticket, which complicates the selection process. “We have many candidates from BJP for the Sivasagar seat and we are not strong there. If we give it to someone, the other will feel bad,” he said.

Comparing constituencies in Upper Assam, Sarma acknowledged that Sivasagar is among the relatively weaker seats for the BJP in the region. “If we compare the few weak seats in Upper Assam, Sivasagar is among them,” he noted, while adding that he would not make any firm claim about whether the party would win or lose the seat.

The remarks come amid heightened political activity in Upper Assam as parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.