Jharkhand's people should not fall for Assam CM's polarising rhetoric: Assam Cong chief

Guwahati, Sept 4 (PTI) Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah on Wednesday urged the people of Jharkhand to resist the divisive rhetoric of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, whom he described as a "nasty politician".

At a press conference in Lakhimpur, Borah appealed to Jharkhand voters to cast their ballots with a clear conscience and not be swayed by Sarma’s polarising statements.

"Sarma is one of India’s most nasty politicians," Borah said.

He questioned the effectiveness of Sarma’s and the BJP’s approach to border security and illegal migration. "While Sarma talks about demographic changes in Jharkhand due to Bangladeshi influx, what is the BJP doing to secure our borders? What has Sarma done to address illegal migration in Assam?" Borah asked.

The Assam Congress chief also accused Sarma of being a skilled political "horse trader," alleging that Sarma had already secured the support of former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren and was seeking to recruit more allies.

"If the BJP thinks sending Sarma to Jharkhand will secure them a win, they are mistaken. Just look at his track record in Karnataka, Telangana, and elsewhere, where the BJP faced significant losses," he claimed.

Besides, Sarma has been a monumental disappointment in the eyes of the people of Assam, he added.

''His tenure has been marred by inflammatory statements against Muslims, creating a toxic atmosphere, fuelling hatred and division while he also makes statements that are often unsubstantiated, insensitive, and provocative'', he said.

The law and order situation in the state has also deteriorated under him with a surge in crimes, violence, and unrest, exposing his failure to maintain peace and stability'', Borah alleged.

Borah claimed that the state’s economy is in disarray, with Assam relying on loans while Sarma’s family allegedly accumulates wealth through questionable means.

"Sarma’s government has failed to deliver on key promises related to education, healthcare, flood management, and job creation. Meanwhile, his family’s wealth has grown exponentially, raising suspicions of corruption and cronyism," Borah said. PTI DG DG MNB