Congress MP Rahul Gandhi intensified his criticism of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ahead of the April 9 Assembly elections, accusing him of corruption and division while positioning Congress as a pro-people alternative.
Addressing a public meeting in Biswanath, Gandhi described Sarma’s remarks as “absurd” and a diversion from his failures, labelling him “India’s most corrupt CM”.
Gandhi also referenced the late singer Zubeen Garg, whose death has led to allegations by Congress leaders, including Gaurav Gogoi, that the Chief Minister had “close links” to those responsible. “Your Chief Minister keeps spouting nonsense 24 hours a day. Zubeen Garg has dedicated his entire life to Assam. He has never behaved rudely toward anyone. Your prominent leaders never tried to divide Assam; they never tried to spread hatred. However, your CM constantly attempts to divide the state and spread hatred; he makes absurd remarks. He does this because he is India’s most corrupt Chief Minister. He knows that the ‘Lions’ of the Congress party will put him behind bars,” Gandhi stated.
The Congress leader asserted that Sarma would eventually be forced to apologise and “beg for forgiveness” from the people of Assam and Congress leaders, adding that they would not spare him when the time came. He further charged the state leadership with favouring specific corporate interests over the people of Assam.
Targeting the central government, Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were involved in handing Assam’s resources to industrialists in exchange for political support. “His business partners sitting in Delhi, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi, have turned you into their personal ATM. Your land has been handed over to Ambani, Adani, and Baba Ramdev. He does not give away this land for free; in exchange, these individuals provide him with their support…whenever Trump sends out a tweet, Modi begins to tremble,” he said.
Gandhi also alleged that Sarma’s family was implicated in the controversies, stating, “His family, too, is now doomed; his family has been ruined.”
He outlined Congress’s manifesto commitments, including granting Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe status to six communities in Assam and proposing a wage of Rs 450 per day for tea garden workers, a key constituency in Upper Assam. “As soon as we form the government in Assam, we will implement the six decisions taken for Assam. Every woman will receive a monthly cash transfer into her bank account without any conditions, and those who want to start a business will be given Rs 50,000… We guarantee that within 100 days, we will punish the accused in the Zubeen Garg case, and action will be taken.”
Zubeen Garg passed away in Singapore on September 19, 2025. According to a Coroner’s court report cited by Channel NewsAsia, the singer was “severely intoxicated” and drowned after declining a life jacket in waters off Lazarus Island.
The comments come amid a heated political contest in Assam, where both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition Congress are intensifying their campaigns ahead of the election on April 9. Voting will take place in a single phase across 126 constituencies, with counting scheduled for May 4.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, including the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad, and Bodoland People’s Front, is seeking a third consecutive term. The Congress-led opposition alliance, comprising Assam Jatiya Parishad, Raijor Dal, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI(ML), and others, aims to capitalise on anti-incumbency to regain power in the state.