Lok Sabha elections: ‘More Congress leaders to join BJP in Assam,’ Himanta Biswa Sarma says ‘exodus started after...’

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that more Congress leaders would join the BJP in Assam after the Lok Sabha elections. Sarma added that the exodus of the leaders from Assam Congress began after Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

“Rahul is an impatient man, doesn't take briefings before coming to Assam,” Assam CM told newswire PTI in an interview on Mondya, April 8 at Titabor in Jorhat district. 

The Assam CM slammed Gandhi for raking up caste census and Manipur violence in the state without being properly briefed on the ground situation. Sarma said Gandhi raised the issues of caste census and Manipur violence in Assam even though "none of these topics have any relevance here".

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When Sarma was asked if the yatra would have any impact on Lok Sabha elections in the state, he said, “During 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', he (Gandhi) committed a lot of (political) harakiri on the roads. People, including Congress leaders, were very offended. That helped us a lot.” 

"Rahul doesn't know the culture of a state. He doesn't study or discuss with his colleagues. He comes and irritates people. If we go to a state, we will have a proper briefing on who the cultural icons are, what things should or should not be said, and what the sensitivities of that state are," he added.

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The Chief Minister, who travels extensively across India to campaign for the BJP during various elections, claimed that he takes briefing and debriefing before going to a state to ensure nothing goes wrong. "Rahul comes without that kind of briefing. Whether directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, he ends up humiliating the local people, which creates a problem," the Assam CM added.

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"Assam is a casteless society and people do not believe in casteism. If suddenly someone comes here and talks about caste census, nobody will accept that. Caste census may be relevant in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, but not in Assam," he told PTI. 

The voting for the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam will take place in three phases on April 19, 26 and May 7.

(With inputs from PTI)