When Will CM Resign? Congress Rips Into Himanta Over Failed Allegations

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Gaurav Gogoi received a rousing welcome at Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on Wednesday, where over two hundred party leaders and workers turned up to greet him. The high-voltage reception, marked by slogans and garlands, quickly turned into a show of strength against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent remarks linking Gogoi to “Pakistan connections.”

Senior leaders, including Chhaygaon legislator Rekibuddin Ahmed, Satyabrata Kalita and Binanda Saikia stood alongside Gogoi. Speaking to reporters, the visibly buoyant state Congress president said, “Today, you have seen only a trailer. From now on, every month, Assam will witness major induction programmes. The next one is scheduled on October 10. The people of Assam are waiting with hope for the Congress.”

CM Put on the Spot

The spotlight, however, fell on CM Sarma’s earlier declaration that he would expose Gogoi’s alleged foreign links by September 10. That deadline passed without any evidence being produced.

Congress leaders seized the moment. Senior leader Mira Borthakur said, “I had no worries about September 10. The CM himself had once promised to resign if he failed to prove the allegations. He could not, and people now know he lied.”

Former APCC president Ripun Bora went further: “The Chief Minister should step down immediately and apologize. The SIT failed to question even those against whom the accusations were made. This was nothing more than political theatrics.”

Boko MLA Nandita Das mocked the episode, saying, “The Chief Minister tried to release a film, but it turned into a super flop even at the trailer stage. As producer, director and actor, he has failed miserably.”

Defections and Rejoining

Meanwhile, at Rajiv Bhawan, the Congress turned the day into a carnival, with some leaders formally rejoining the party.

Former AGP general secretary and ex-Kamalpur MLA Satyabrata Kalita, who quit the party, said, “I chose to leave when the Chief Minister sided with cow smugglers. Arrogance always leads to downfall, and today I stand ready to fight as a soldier of Gaurav Gogoi.”

Former BJP MLA from Sipajhar,Binanda Saikia, who chose his birthday to re-enter the party, pledged: “Ten years ago I left Congress. Today, I return with a vow to serve till my last breath. The BJP has no moral right to politicise Bhupen Hazarika’s birth centenary. Our politics is of harmony and inclusiveness.”

Dr. Mansing Rongpi, former BJP MLA from Baithalangso, remarked, “The enthusiasm at Borjhar’s LGBI Airport today surpassed even that of August 2015, when Himanta Biswa Sarma left Congress to join the BJP. The people of Assam are now ready for change.”

Gogoi’s Direct Attack

In his address, Gogoi launched a scathing attack on the ruling BJP, saying the party had turned into “a private limited firm of Himanta Biswa Sarma.”

“Many are desperate to leave the BJP. If you truly want to serve the people, there is only one platform — the Congress,” he said, invoking the legacy of his father and ex-Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. “He respected Assam’s diversity and built unity. That is the nationalism Congress stands for, not the divisive politics practiced today.”

Pointing to poor rankings in health and education, Gogoi said, “Assam is at the bottom in key sectors, while the government only promotes communalism. This time, the people have decided — the fight will be decisive.”

SIT Report Filed

Amid the political storm, the SIT report on Gogoi’s alleged “Pakistan connections” was reportedly submitted by Superintendent of Police Rosie Kalita of the CM’s Special Vigilance Cell at the Janata Bhawan in Dispur. No conclusive evidence was presented, adding further weight to the Congress’s claim that the controversy was manufactured for political gain.

Also Read: Gaurav Gogoi–Pakistan Link: CM Sarma Hints Assam May Not Get Clarity Today