Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma rides bicycle to woo voters ahead of polls

GUWAHATI: Move aside scooters, now it is time for bicycles! Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, currently in the midst of an election campaign ahead of the polls in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), was today seen leading a saffron rally astride the faithful old two-wheeler: a bicyle!

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With the saffron brigade revving up its promotional engines ahead of the Assembly elections due to be held next year, Sarma today journeyed 14 kilometres from Doimalu to Kalamari in Assam's Sonitpur district. The Minister was flanked by BJP workers and hundreds, if not thousands of supporters came out to the streetside to greet the NEDA Convenor as he rode past, face aglimmer with smiles. All this happened while the BJP's election anthem -- Akou Ebar Modi Sarkar (Once again Modi's Government) -- played in thebackground.

Earlier, Sarma has been seen riding sccoters with party workers in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) region that heads to the polls in two phases on December 7 and 10.

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"Today, enjoyed 14-km bicycle rally from Doimalu to Kalamari along with @BJP4Assam karyakartas who rode enthusiastically on thousands of bicycles & motorbikes. Grateful for all the love & blessings showered by people on the route 🙏 A majestic view," the Assam Minister wrote in a tweet.

Sarma's profile has received a major facelift in recent times, with netizens using snippets from his election rallies to make 'memes' (an image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by internet users, often with slight variations).

Yes, the Minister's gaunt visage of the COVID era has now been replaced with a cheerful demeanor as he campaigns for his party ahead of the polls. Some of his witty remarks have amused the internet, and have been made into entertaining clips that have been doing the rounds on social media.

The polls in the BTC, by Sarma's own admission, are being seen as a "semifinal" ahead of the elections in the State, and there have been enough gimmicks to ensure that there there is a feel-good factor associated with the BJP camp as it seeks to unseat the long reigning Bodoland People's Front (BPF) in Kokrajhar, while at the same time seeking to retain its stronghold in Dispur.

While the BTC polls will be held in December, the Assembly elections in Assam will be held in April of 2020.

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