Guwahati, 25 January (HS): With the Assam Assembly elections approaching, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday flagged off the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) video vans as part of a statewide outreach campaign, while laying out the party’s electoral strategy and launching a sharp attack on the Congress, its leadership and what he described as “misinformation-driven politics.”

Speaking to the media during the flag-off programme, Dr Sarma said video vans would be deployed across Assam around six weeks before every election to collect public opinion and suggestions. He added that citizens from all sections of society, including sportspersons, cultural personalities and intellectuals, would be encouraged to share their views through the initiative.

The Chief Minister also confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Guwahati on the 14th of next month to inaugurate the Guwahati–North Guwahati bridge, a key infrastructure project. During the visit, the Prime Minister will also hand over 100 electric buses provided by the Centre to the Assam government.

Dr Sarma further said that Prime Minister Modi will address a major election-focused rally at Khanapara, which will be attended by booth-level workers and party functionaries from across the state.

Stepping up his attack on the Congress, the Chief Minister claimed that out of 750 applicants within the party, around 600 were from the Miyan community. He alleged that the recent Congress programme in Rangia was not a political meeting but a religious gathering, accusing the party of attempting communal polarisation.

On the contentious issue of toll collection after the opening of the Guwahati–North Guwahati bridge, Dr Sarma reiterated that repeated toll collection is wrong and maintained that toll charges will apply only to trucks and buses, as announced earlier.

Addressing the eviction drive, the Chief Minister said indigenous Assamese people would not be evicted from hill areas in Guwahati. “Evictions will be carried out only against illegal encroachers,” he said, alleging that misinformation was being deliberately spread on the issue.

Dr Sarma also indicated that details regarding alleged links between Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Pakistan-linked power projects would be made public in the coming days.

Clarifying the BJP’s poll strategy, he said seat-sharing would be finalised under the NDA framework and not by the BJP alone. He dismissed allegations of tickets being sold for money, asserting that no such practice exists in the party and warned that leaders openly seeking tickets through the media have been placed on a “red list.”

He added that while Congress leaders may join the BJP, they would not be allowed to carry forward the Congress’s political culture, and joining the party does not guarantee an election ticket.

Concluding his remarks, the Chief Minister said the BJP does not function on factional lines and is united ahead of the elections. Assam BJP president and MP Dilip Saikia was also present on the occasion.-----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash