Guwahati, 06 October (HS): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday took a swipe at the Congress after the party’s performance in the Silchar Municipal Corporation election, pointing out that Independent candidates had won more seats than the Congress. He said the outcome showed that the Congress was losing electoral support rather than expanding its base.

Reacting to the results, Sarma also sought to counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of electronic voting machines, saying the Silchar election was conducted using ballot papers. “The machine is Modi, the ballot is Modi; the machine is lotus, the ballot is lotus; the machine is BJP, the ballot is BJP,” he said.

The chief minister said the Silchar civic poll would send a message to Rahul Gandhi that the BJP could also secure victories in elections conducted through ballot papers.

The BJP’s performance triggered celebrations at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhavan in Guwahati, where fireworks were burst in the presence of Chief Minister Sarma.

The Silchar Municipal Corporation has 42 wards, with polling held in 40 wards as BJP candidates in two wards had already been elected unopposed.----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash