Why Himanta drank milk on stage, given to him by a Muslim voter in Nagaon's Samaguri

A Muslim man brought cow's milk for Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during a victory celebration in Assam's Samaguri on November 8, with the Chief Minister drinking the milk on stage in front of a gathering of thousands. The gesture came days after the BJP won the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election, wresting the constituency from the Congress after a gap of seven years.

Sarma attended the celebration at the Rupahi Higher Secondary School playground in Nagaon district, fulfilling a promise he had made to voters during the by-election campaign. The Chief Minister had assured residents that he would personally visit Rupahihat and celebrate with them if NDA candidate Devashish Sharma won the election.

Keeping his word, Sarma arrived by helicopter at Fakhli Eidgah in Rupahihat on November 8. He was subsequently taken to the venue in a procession and rally, where NDA workers and local residents joined the celebrations.

The gathering witnessed enthusiastic participation from party supporters, with celebrations organised across the Samaguri constituency to mark the BJP's victory.

The BJP's win in Nagaon marks a significant political gain for the party, particularly given the constituency's sizeable Muslim electorate. According to Sarma, Muslims account for around 62 per cent of the constituency's voters.

BJP candidate Devashish Sharma defeated All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal by a margin of 1,42,224 votes. Sharma secured 7,14,349 votes, while Ajmal polled 5,72,125 votes. Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora finished third with 1,29,492 votes.

The result ended the Congress's seven-year hold over the constituency, which it had won in 2019 and retained in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections under Pradyut Bordoloi. Bordoloi's resignation from the Congress and subsequent move to the BJP earlier this year had necessitated the by-election.

Sharma, a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who had served as Nagaon's Deputy Commissioner, secured the BJP's victory in a constituency that had traditionally been considered a Congress stronghold.

The outcome also marked a setback for the Congress, which was pushed to third place, while Ajmal's second-place finish indicated a return to electoral relevance for the AIUDF after its setbacks in previous elections.

The by-election was held on October 6, following Bordoloi's resignation from the Lok Sabha after quitting the Congress and joining the BJP.