‘Himanta Biswa Sarma will end up in jail’: Gaurav Gogoi targets Assam CM over corruption, power tariff hike

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on November 4 launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging that the BJP leader was apprehensive about a possible Congress government at the Centre and would face legal consequences over alleged corruption and other crimes.

In a post on X, Gogoi, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, claimed that Sarma was "losing sleep imagining a Congress government at the Centre".

"The long list of crimes that he has buried will be uncovered and put in public domain. He knows that he will end up in jail for his crimes and corruption," Gogoi wrote.

The Congress leader also criticised the Assam government's recent decision to increase the financial burden on electricity consumers, describing the move as the Chief Minister's "Diwali gift" to the people of the state.

He said the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) had been allowed to recover an accumulated power purchase cost of Rs 155.59 crore from consumers over the next five months, alleging that the amount would be directly passed on to households.

Questioning the government's financial priorities, Gogoi said public money was readily available for election-related promises, beneficiary schemes and political campaigns, but the burden of financial management was being shifted to ordinary citizens.

He also raised concerns over Assam's growing debt, questioning the allocation of thousands of crores of rupees to beneficiary schemes while electricity tariffs continued to rise.

Gogoi further criticised the government's 3,200 MW power purchase agreement with Adani Power, alleging that its provisions could expose the state to substantial financial liabilities.

Citing an investigative report, he claimed that the agreement, which includes provisions to compensate for potential losses incurred by APDCL due to surplus power generation, could push the state's financial liability to an estimated Rs 12,566 crore over five years.

Accusing the BJP government of prioritising corporate interests while transferring financial costs to consumers, Gogoi questioned the development claims made by the Chief Minister.

"Is this the Assam development model that Himanta Biswa Sarma has been widely advertising and dazzling everyone with through dancing AI videos?" he asked.