Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticized Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, accusing them of lacking respect for Lord Ram during an election campaign rally in Lumding, Hojai district. Sarma claimed that despite invitations extended to Rahul and Sonia Gandhi to attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple, they chose not to participate. Instead, Rahul Gandhi was reportedly engaged in a protest in Nagaon during the ceremony, which Sarma interpreted as a lack of respect for Lord Ram and Shri Krishna.
Addressing the rally, Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the Congress party for allegedly using derogatory language against Lord Ram and Shri Krishna, specifically citing remarks made by Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah linking Lord Krishna to ‘Love Jihad’.
Sarma expressed confidence in BJP candidate Kamakhya Prasad Tasa’s victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for the Kaziranga constituency, highlighting the BJP’s dominant presence in the state. The Lok Sabha polls for 14 seats in Assam are scheduled in three phases beginning on April 19.
In the current election, the BJP is contesting 11 out of 14 seats in Assam, with its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) contesting in two (Barpeta and Dhubri) and one seat (Kokrajhar), respectively.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured 7 seats out of 14 in Assam, while both the Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) won three seats each. By the 2019 elections, the BJP increased its seat count to 9, with the Congress retaining three seats and AIUDF securing one seat.
The campaign rhetoric underscores the political dynamics and religious sentiments at play in the run-up to the crucial elections in Assam, with parties vying for electoral gains amidst competing narratives on issues of culture and faith.
