‘BJP does not steal votes, it steals hearts’: Himanta takes dig at Congress during Shimla rally

Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on November 1 launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing the party of questioning electronic voting machines (EVMs) only when it loses elections.

Addressing the BJP's 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' padyatra in Shimla, Sarma said the BJP does not steal votes but wins people's hearts.

"The Congress is not only losing on EVMs but also on ballot papers, as seen in the recent elections for Member of Legislative Council in various states. This is because the BJP does not steal votes; it steals hearts," he said.

Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Sarma questioned the party's criticism of EVMs, pointing out that the same voting system had brought the Congress to power in Himachal Pradesh.

He challenged Gandhi to explain his electoral victory from Rae Bareli and his position as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He also questioned why Sukhu continued to head the state government despite the Congress having won the Assembly election through the same machines.

Sarma alleged that the Congress accepts EVMs when it wins in states such as Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh but questions the Election Commission and the electoral process when the BJP emerges victorious.

Defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Assam chief minister said accurate voter lists were essential to safeguarding democracy. He maintained that every eligible Indian citizen must retain the right to vote, while ineligible entries should be removed in accordance with the law.

The BJP's padyatra began at Gurdwara Sahib Parking near the Old Local Bus Stand in Shimla and passed through Victory Tunnel and the Vidhan Sabha road before concluding with a public rally at Chaura Maidan.

Sarma also accused the Congress of invoking political developments in Bangladesh and Nepal to create an atmosphere of instability in India, asserting that governments in the country change through elections and not through street protests or political intimidation.

Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Sarma questioned the Congress leadership's historical accountability and demanded that Rahul Gandhi apologise before speaking about saving democracy.

Drawing a comparison between the BJP government in Assam and the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, Sarma claimed that his government had fulfilled its promise of providing one lakh government jobs by providing employment to around 1.07 lakh young people.

He accused the Sukhu government of failing to deliver on its electoral promise of creating five lakh jobs in five years and said the Congress should address its organisational weaknesses and unfulfilled commitments instead of blaming the electoral system.

Predicting a BJP comeback in Himachal Pradesh, Sarma urged voters to give the Congress a "decisive democratic answer" in the 2027 Assembly elections, saying the BJP would return to power with a strong mandate.