Assam CM to Akhil Gogoi: Pray you take Assembly polls as lightly as Panchayat ones

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday took a swipe at Raijor Dal chief and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi for his statement about not taking the upcoming panchayat elections seriously. Responding to Gogoi’s remarks, the Chief Minister said he hoped Gogoi would treat the 2026 Vidhan Sabha elections with similar casualness.

“I will pray to God that Akhil Gogoi does not take the Vidhan Sabha elections seriously either. Let them pass like this,” Sarma said in a tongue-in-cheek manner while addressing a gathering at Kochutoli in Sonapur.

He urged Gogoi to quickly decide which elections he actually intends to contest with seriousness> CM Sarma adding further on APCC chief Bhupen Borah's statement said, “Yes, Bhupen Bora is right, the ruling party will win the elections. We have already emerged victorious in the Lok Sabha, municipal, and panchayat polls. The Assembly election will be no different.”

The Chief Minister exuded confidence about a sweeping victory for the BJP in the 2026 Assembly elections, while also taking a dig at the Congress. “People are no longer interested in voting for Congress. But despite the trend, we will not let complacency set in. We will continue to work hard and serve the public,” he said.