Congress Taking Rs 1 Crore In Advance From Candidates For 2026 Polls, Alleges Assam CM

Tezpur: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday claimed that the Congress would contest in 22 Assembly constituencies in the upcoming elections and alleged that the party has started collecting large sums of money from its prospective candidates.

Talking to the media at Thakurbari in the Rangapara constituency of Sonitpur district, the Chief Minister said, “Congress has indicated that each candidate must pay Rs 1 crore in advance. They have also been told that another Rs 3 crore will have to be paid later. This demand has been made mainly in the 'Miya-dominated seats' such as Sojongam, Baghbar, Dalgaon and several others.”

Accusing the Congress of depending entirely on 'Miya' votes, Sarma said, “'Miyas' are the oxygen of the Congress. The party survives on their votes and continues to play politics around them. The BJP, on the other hand, has done a lot of work for the 'Miya' community.”

Responding to recent comments made by a section of intellectuals regarding his stand on polygamy, the Chief Minister said that many reforms have been initiated in Assam. “We have stopped many illegal marriages. Because of this, many Muslims appreciate our work. It is not just the Muslim community; even among Hindus, there are cases of second marriages. We have information on this and investigations are underway,” he stated.

Sarma added that 'Miya' beneficiaries have received benefits under schemes like Arunodoi and Chief Minister’s Entrepreneur Scheme. “Good work must be recognized, but problems arise only when they try to encroach land. They will face consequences if they continue such activities,” he remarked.

Speaking on the filing of the chargesheet against singer Zubeen Garg, Sarma said that after the process concludes, the government would make public certain information allegedly linked to Congress MP and Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi’s alleged ‘Pakistan connection’.
“I will not raise the issue until the Zubeen Garg case reaches its logical conclusion,” the CM told reporters.

The Chief Minister made it clear that the BJP would not entertain any malpractice such as 'setting–getting' in ticket distribution. The party’s Parliamentary Board would decide candidates based on performance. “After delimitation, all constituencies have changed, and technically I do not have my own seat. The BJP gives special emphasis to performance, youth representation, and increased participation of women,” he said.

Commenting on ULFA(I) leaders Arunoday Dohotiya and his bodyguard Francis, Sarma clarified that the Assam government has no plans to shift them to Delhi. “Both will remain in Tinsukia. Peace talks must happen only with UKFA( I) Chief Paresh Baruah. Discussions with any other person will not be fruitful,” the CM asserted.

During the programme at Thakurbari, the Chief Minister distributed cheques of Rs 10,000 each to 24,829 members of various Self Help Groups under the Chief Minister’s Mahila Udyamita Scheme. Sarma said that the government is committed to delivering on its promises and empowering women across Assam. “Under the Arunodoi scheme, women have gained dignity and financial independence,” he added.

The event was attended by Naduar MLA Padma Hazarika, MP Ranjit Dutta, Tezpur MLA Prithviraj Rabha, Barchala MLA Ganesh Limbu, Rangapara MLA Krishna Kamal Tanti, and Sonitpur Deputy Commissioner Anand Kumar Das.

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