Congress Alleges Police-BJP Nexus in Assam Panchayat Polls, Accuses Cops of Intimidating Party Candidates

With panchayat poll fervour rising in Assam, the Congress on Wednesday levelled serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the state police, accusing them of jointly attempting to derail the democratic process. At a press conference held at Rajiv Bhawan, senior Congress leaders, including MP Pradyut Bordoloi and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah, alleged that the Assam police force has effectively become an electoral rival of the Congress.

Highlighting multiple instances of alleged coercion, Bordoloi said that in the Barhampur constituency alone, Congress candidates in three Zila Parishad seats were reportedly subjected to direct physical and mental harassment by the police, forcing them to withdraw their nominations. He alleged that this pattern reflects a broader trend of police intimidation and BJP-sponsored interference across the state.

Borah added that outside the hills and BTR areas, cries of distress are being heard from Congress candidates across Assam. “Now we have police outside our homes and BJP’s money everywhere,” he said. “In some areas, the police are intimidating candidates; in others, BJP leaders are offering cash to influence outcomes.”

Calling the situation a serious threat to democracy, Borah questioned, “How can any political party contest an election if the police, acting under the home department, becomes its primary opponent?” He warned that if the home department acts like an extension of the ruling party, it endangers the very foundations of democracy.

The Congress leadership later marched to the office of the Assam Director General of Police (DGP), demanding immediate action.

MP Pradyut Bordoloi further alleged that Assam is witnessing the rise of a UP- or Bihar-style ‘nexus’ between politicians, police, and criminal elements, which he claimed had never before occurred in the state's political history. “At the grassroots level, panchayat elections reveal real public support. The BJP, sensing their eroding base, is trying to avoid a fair contest by preventing political symbols in village panchayat seats and manipulating candidates at higher levels,” he said.

Citing examples from Barhampur, Bordoloi accused local MLA Jitu Goswami, police officials, and BJP-backed goons of threatening Congress candidates in Jamunamukh, Barhampur, and Kathiatoli. He claimed one candidate, Juri Das, was targeted through a false FIR against her husband immediately after filing her nomination. The police reportedly visited her residence at night, forcing the couple to flee to Guwahati. Upon return, her husband was detained and allegedly threatened with fabricated charges by police.

Bordoloi said he informed the Nagaon Superintendent of Police and the DGP, who assured an investigation and ordered the candidate’s husband’s release. However, he added, soon after the release, BJP workers accompanied by police personnel resumed pressure on the couple, indicating continued intimidation.

The Congress has demanded immediate intervention from the Election Commission and sought punitive action against police officers allegedly acting at the behest of the ruling party.

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