‘Gaurav Gogoi can only emulate Tarun Gogoi’: Assam BJP hits out, says he can't match Himanta's politics

The Assam BJP on Wednesday escalated its criticism of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, with state party president Dilip Saikia declaring that Gogoi's politics is confined to a legacy of appeasement and dynasty, in stark contrast to what he described as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s development-first approach.

“Gaurav Gogoi can only emulate Tarun Gogoi’s politics; he will never be able to follow Himanta Biswa Sarma’s brand of politics,” Saikia told the media in a strongly worded statement. He claimed that while the younger Gogoi continues the political style of his father, it was during Tarun Gogoi’s tenure that Assam faced severe issues ranging from youth migration to corruption in public service hiring.

Referring to the APSC recruitment scandal during the Congress government, Saikia said, “Even the brightest among them feared appearing for the APSC exams due to rampant corruption,” adding that Rakesh Paul, then APSC chairman, became a symbol of that broken system. He credited the BJP government for prosecuting Paul and restoring faith in public recruitment.

He also claimed that the BJP had brought significant changes in employment opportunities and law enforcement. “Today, Assam’s youth can apply for government jobs with confidence, and even the animals of Kaziranga live in peace — unlike during the previous Congress regime, when rampant poaching turned the sanctuaries into blood-soaked hunting grounds,” he stated.

Touching on communal politics, Saikia accused both Tarun and Gaurav Gogoi of using religious identity for vote-bank politics. “It was during Tarun Gogoi’s rule that the political narrative centred around questions like ‘Who is Badruddin?’ Now, Gaurav continues the same politics by aligning with the heirs of Badruddin Ajmal,” Saikia said.

The BJP leader also compared the two administrations on healthcare infrastructure. “While Tarun Gogoi could establish only six medical colleges during his long tenure, Himanta Biswa Sarma has set up thirteen. This isn’t politics for the faint-hearted,” he added.

Saikia concluded by urging voters to choose between “regressive politics of the past” and what the BJP calls Sarma’s progressive governance. “Gaurav Gogoi should stick to his father's political path — he simply lacks the capacity to walk Himanta Biswa Sarma's road,” he said.