Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday, accusing him of behaving like a monarch and warning that he may soon end up behind bars.
Speaking at a Congress party meeting in Chaygaon, Gandhi said:
“Assam CM thinks he is ‘raja’, but he will be in jail not long before.”
He went on to say that it is not the Congress party, but the people of Assam, who would hold the chief minister and his family accountable for alleged corruption.
“Congress won’t put him in jail, people will,” Gandhi claimed.
The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha continued his criticism, accusing Sarma of acting out of fear.
“Fear writ large in your CM; he knows fearless Congress workers will put him in jail,” he said.
Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge were in Assam for a day-long visit to engage with party workers and chalk out the party’s future strategy in the state. Their first meeting was held near the Guwahati airport, followed by the second in Chaygaon, approximately 40 kilometers away.
Sarma’s Response: “Rahul Himself Is Out on Bail”
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma quickly fired back at Gandhi’s remarks, stating that the Congress leader has made similar statements in the past. Sarma reminded Gandhi that he himself is out on bail in multiple criminal cases filed across the country.
“Take it in writing, Himanta Biswa Sarma will definitely be sent to jail’ — these were the exact words spoken by the Leader of the Opposition, Shri Rahul Gandhi, during his closed-door meeting with the Congress Political Affairs Committee in Assam,” Sarma posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Mocking Gandhi’s visit, the Chief Minister added:
“He came all the way to Assam just to say this.”
“My best wishes to you, Rahul ji. Enjoy the hospitality of Assam for the rest of the day.”
The political sparring comes as both parties gear up for state and national-level electoral battles, with corruption and governance emerging as flashpoints in their rivalry.