3 min readUpdated: Mar 28, 2026 11:15 AM IST
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed “99%” of Hindu members of the Congress want to leave the party. The remark comes right ahead of the April 9 Assam Assembly election. “Almost 99 per cent of Hindus want to leave Congress; it disintegration process has already started in the state. After the [election] results, Congress will become a single-community party,” CM Himanta said in an interview with news agency PTI.
The Congress has seen big defections in the run up to the elections, Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi and former state Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah joining the BJP. Other leaders include MLAs Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, Sashi Kanta Das, Basanta Das, Sushanta Borgohain, and Rupjyoti Kurmi, all of whom won on Congress tickets previously.
EXPRESS OPINION | The Assam elections will be a referendum on Himanta Biswa Sarma’s leadership
He said Assam has seen massive development on a par with larger states and that he is confident the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will score again this year with a record-breaking win. He said: “In 5 years, 1.65 lakh people have secured government jobs. This is why elections are being conducted in a festive mood.”
Earlier on Friday, CM Himanta admitted infiltration is still a major issue in Assam. “But we are ready for the April 9 election. I say and do whatever I have to. The people are excited to bring BJP back to power. There is no point in bringing up major issues. I will win the election. Our manifesto document will contain whatever we have to do.”
#WATCH | Assam Elections 2026 | Lakhimpur: On State Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, “Infiltration is a major issue. But we are ready for the 9th April election. I say and do whatever I have to. The people are excited to bring BJP back to power. There… pic.twitter.com/qGfNTWsPuv
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2026
On Thursday CM Himanta had said on Bangladeshis will vote for the Congress. “Who wants to go to Congress? Congress can’t form its government in India; it can form it in Pakistan. Then how can I go to Congress? Congress can never form the government in India. When Congress forms, it will be in either Pakistan or Bangladesh,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI on Thursday.
He refused to comment on Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi, saying: “I do not want to give them free publicity.”
Congress hits back
Reacting to the Chief Minister’s comments, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar accused Himanta of “trying to polarise” people. “He is speaking on my PCC president [Gaurav Gogoi]… His father [Tarun Gogoi] was a CM, and he is a sitting MP. He [Himanta] is afraid of my PCC president. So, he is using the PCC president’s name. No Bangladeshi is there.”
#WATCH | Delhi: On Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says, “…He is always speaking on Bangladeshis, he is trying to polarise. He is speaking on my PCC president (Gaurav Gogoi)…His father was a CM, and he is a sitting MP. He (CM Sarma) is afraid… pic.twitter.com/aEf4bt0UUT
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2026
