'Where does he sleep now?': Gaurav Gogoi targets Himanta's unmet promise in Titabor

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi has sharpened his attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma by zeroing in on the CM’s unfulfilled claim that he would not go home at night if he failed to provide “proof” in a year‑old controversy.

Speaking at a series of campaign meetings in Titabor Assembly constituency on March 28, Gogoi told supporters: “He had said he wouldn’t go home at night if he failed to provide proof—so I want to ask, where does he sleep now?” The remark, framed as a jibe at Sarma’s record, anchored Gogoi’s broader critique of the BJP‑led state government as he pitched for the opposition‑alliance‑backed Congress candidate, Pran Kurmi.

Gogoi described Kurmi as “a social worker, a hardworking and senior Congress leader from the tea community, inspired by the ideals of our revered leaders” and added that support for him was “not just support for an individual candidate—it is a mark of respect for the dignity, rights, and development of the tea community.” According to an APCC statement, Gogoi urged the voters of Titabor to unite behind Kurmi and ensure his victory, holding him up as a candidate who would carry forward the legacy of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Turning to governance, Gogoi alleged that the people of Assam are seeking relief from what he called the “authoritarian government” led by Sarma and predicted that the Chief Minister would be “voted out this time.” He accused the BJP administration of running “intimidation politics” in the name of welfare schemes for women, claiming that many women are receiving threatening calls that their benefits will be cut off if they do not attend BJP meetings or listen to the Prime Minister’s “Mann Ki Baat.”

The APCC president said such tactics went against the basic duty of a government, which he argued should be to provide services and opportunities, not distribute money for attending party events. Governance, he insisted, must focus on education, rural infrastructure development and bringing down prices.

Gogoi alleged that, ever since Sarma became Chief Minister, the state’s priorities have shifted: government schools have been shutting down while liquor shops are being opened. This, he said, has forced children to travel long distances for education and pushed many families toward private schools, making schooling unaffordable and contributing to higher dropout rates. Government hospitals, he added, often lack doctors and medicines, leaving patients dependent on referrals to private facilities.
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The APCC president credited former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi with significantly contributing to Assam’s development and accused Sarma of “betraying the trust” placed in him by his mentor. He also alleged that the Chief Minister has been spreading false propaganda against him personally and has brought the family of Tarun Gogoi into politics.

“The people of Assam do not want to see such dirty politics from someone holding the Chief Minister’s post,” Gogoi said, before returning to the line about Sarma’s unmet promise.

Gogoi also questioned why no action has been taken against Badruddin Ajmal despite allegations of provocative statements, and criticised the BJP and the NDA for what he termed “selective politics.” On the issue of pre‑election promises, he recalled earlier remarks about singer Zubeen Garg and asked whether the commitments made at that time had been fulfilled, suggesting that if justice could not be delivered, such statements should not have been made merely for political gain.

Assuring voters, Gogoi said that a Congress‑led government would not only continue existing welfare schemes but improve them, and that women would receive benefits directly at home without having to attend political meetings. He described Kurmi as a leader who had regarded Tarun Gogoi as his political mentor and urged the electorate to back him to take Titabor forward.