'Congress not serious about ticket distribution' in Assam polls: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on March 21 criticised the opposition’s preparedness for the Assam Assembly elections, alleging that the Congress was “not giving serious candidates or trying to give tickets to anyone”.

“It seems that the Congress list is being published to help someone. They are not giving serious candidates or trying to give tickets to anyone,” Sarma said, adding a controversial remark that “there are no Hindu people in Rajiv Bhawan”.

The Indian National Congress on Friday released its fourth list of seven candidates, taking its total to 94 nominees for the 126-member Assembly.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, released its second list of two candidates—Jiban Gogoi from Sissiborgaon and Sushri Krishna Saha from Dalgaon—taking its total tally to 90 after an earlier list of 88 candidates announced on 19 March.

Assam is set to vote on April 9, with counting scheduled on May 4. The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term, while the Congress is aiming to return to power.