Muslim-majority Laharighat seeks BJP led Assam govt's intervention after Congress MLA’s alleged failure

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on November 10 shared a photograph of a dilapidated road in Congress-held Laharighat, promising to get it constructed while accusing the local Congress MLA of neglecting development works in the constituency.

In a post on X, Sarma said the man who brought the road's condition to his notice belonged to Laharighat, a Muslim-majority constituency that has traditionally voted for the Congress.

"This man's request has now reached me, and I will get this road built," the chief minister said, alleging that the road was in a dismal condition because the local MLA had failed to recommend development projects.

"Development for all, appeasement of none," he added.

The post came a day after Sarma, addressing a victory celebration rally in Laharighat on Monday, November 9, promised to extend development works and government welfare schemes to the constituency on a par with other parts of Assam.

Taking a swipe at local Congress MLA Asif Mohammad Nazar, Sarma had urged residents to route their grievances through newly elected BJP MP Devasish Sharma rather than approaching their elected representative.

"All development works have to be done here, but not through the 'pagla MLA'. It has to be done through our MP, and through him, by your 'Mama'," Sarma had said, referring to himself by his popular nickname.

The chief minister also assured residents that the promises made during the recently concluded Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll would be fulfilled, asserting that the government would not forget voters after the elections.

Laharighat is one of the eight Assembly segments under the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency. The BJP wrested the parliamentary seat from the Congress in the October bypoll, with Devasish Sharma emerging victorious.

Sarma also predicted that the Congress would remain out of power in Assam for at least another 50 years and urged residents to associate themselves with local BJP committees to remain informed about government welfare schemes.