Guwahati, 09 December (HS):

A fresh controversy has erupted in the Congress just ahead of the elections, with Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma alleging that party tickets in 22 constituencies are being sold for amounts ranging from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the Chief Minister claimed that “particularly in the Miya-dominated seats, this rate is the highest. Congress dalals have already taken ₹1 crore as advance. On the 14th, a meeting is scheduled in Delhi and Gaurav Gogoi has asked them to bring people seeking tickets.”

Amid these allegations, a phone-tapping clip that went viral on social media has further exposed the internal crisis within the Congress. The clip, shared publicly by Mangaldoi MLA Dr. Paramananda Rajbongshi, has triggered a political storm in the state.

In the purported conversation, a middleman is clearly heard demanding ₹10 lakh as advance from a potential candidate in a minority constituency in exchange for a party ticket. The Chief Minister’s remarks, coupled with the viral audio, have placed the Congress leadership in a difficult position.

At a time when the party should have been shaping its election strategy, the focus has shifted to questions over how tickets are being allocated — and allegedly sold — placing the issue at the centre of Assam’s political discourse.---------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash