‘Congress thinking of 2031, Not 2026’: Assam CM questions opposition’s poll seriousness

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on December 18, questioned the Congress party’s seriousness about the upcoming Assembly elections, claiming the party is already thinking far ahead rather than preparing for the immediate political battles.

Speaking to media, Sarma suggested the Congress lacks serious electoral strategy for the 2026 and 2031 assembly polls. "They are making efforts in that direction, as for 2026 and 2031, they have already given us," he stated, dismissing any genuine preparation by the opposition party.

The chief minister acknowledged that Congress retains a stable vote bank that delivers consistent numbers regardless of candidate quality or origin.

"Whether the Congress fields candidates or not, even if it brings MLAs from as far as Tamil Nadu, it will still get a fixed number of votes," Sarma remarked. However, he insisted this base remains insufficient for electoral success, noting the party shows no appetite for mounting a credible challenge in the immediate future.

Turning his attention to Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi, Sarma adopted a mocking tone, describing the activist-turned-politician as having transformed into "a man of the digital world, a medium of entertainment." The chief minister went further, claiming he "sleeps peacefully only after watching Gogoi's Facebook live sessions," characterising them as stress-relief content for Assamese audiences rather than serious political discourse.

Dismissing concerns about opposition challenges, Sarma expressed confidence in his government's grassroots work. "Our government has done a lot of work at the grassroots level, so we are not worried about the opposition," he declared.