Guwahati, June 7: Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has condemned Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s statement alleging that leaders of a particular religion had influenced the outcome of the recently held Lok Sabha elections in Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya, thereby resulting in the National Democratic Alliance’s losses in the three Northeastern states.
Notably, Congress had bagged four seats in the three states, including the Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur seats in Manipur, the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland, and the Tura Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya.
Chief minister Sarma had, when asked by mediapersons here about the NDA’s losses in the three Northeastern states, alleged that, “Regarding results in Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya, my specific observation is that leaders from a particular religion – who usually do not get into politics – decided to work against the ruling alliance in these states, thereby influencing the poll outcome. We can fight political opponents but not religious leaders.”
Terming the chief minister’s statement as irresponsible and reckless, Gogoi, who recently won the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat defeating BJP’s Topon Kumar Gogoi by over 1.44 lakh votes, said, “I condemn the irresponsible and reckless statement of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He does not have the maturity to accept the responsibility for the losses of the NDA in Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur.”
The Congress leader further appealed to the chief ministers of the respective states to publicly condemn Sarma’s statement. “Together we must preserve the unique identity of the Northeast,” Gogoi said.
In an earlier post on social media platform, X, Gogoi stated, “There are many things to unpack from this election. But clearly the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra of Rahul Gandhi has had an impact on the Northeast. Unprecedented victory in Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Assam.”
On the other hand, chief minister Sarma, who is also the NEDA convenor, had told reporters here on Thursday that “NEDA has not been working in the way it used to work after he became chief minister.”
“I was asked to campaign in eastern Indian states and not in the Northeast, barring Arunachal Pradesh. So, I was not aware of Northeastern politics and I could not contribute to the best of my ability in Manipur, Nagaland and Meghalaya,” the chief minister admitted.
APCC felicitation
Assam PCC chief Bhupen Kumar Borah on Friday felicitated the newly-elected MPs from the party – Rakibul Hussain (Dhubri), Gaurav Gogoi (Jorhat) and Pradyut Bordoloi (Nagaon) – here at Rajiv Bhawan.
“The party also paid gratitude to all the members of the Indian National Congress, Assam for their relentless effort in campaigning during the entire period of electioneering while ensuring continuous hold in Nagaon parliamentary constituency, regaining the prestigious Jorhat seat besides defeating AIUDF in its stronghold, Dhubri, by the highest-ever margin,” an office-bearer said.