Breaking the backbone: Assam CM Sarma vows to eliminate encroachments before entering national politics; Aims to secure support from urban voters

Guwahati: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said he would move to the national stage when the times come but not before he breaks the backbone of those he has taught a lesson in the next five years — indirectly pointing to thousands of Bangladesh-origin migrants who were evicted from vast swathes of forest and govt land in the last five years.“When the time comes, I will go (to Delhi). Let it come. If I leave now, those whom I have taught lessons will attack me. Let me break their backbones — which I will do in five years,” Sarma said while speaking to the media on the side lines of campaigning in Barpeta.Sarma said there are 50 lakh bigha encroached holdings in the state. “So far, we have freed only 1.5 lakh bighas. This is not about Hindu-Muslim politics, but about freeing encroachers from forest and govt land.

After that, forest land goes back to the forest and freed govt land to the landless under the land policy,” he added.On the campaign trail, he tore into Congress, slamming its principal election slogan of building a “Notun Bor Axom (new greater Assam),” questioning how such a concept was even possible.“Greater Assam was already built by Sukaphaa (Chaolung Sukaphaa, the Tai prince who founded the Ahom kingdom in Assam in 1228, unifying diverse tribes and laying the political foundations of modern Assam) and Sankardev (the 15th century Vaishnavite saint-scholar-religious reformer and colossal figure in the cultural and religious history of Assam).

What more will we add?” he asked.Sarma accused Gaurav Gogoi of attempting to redefine Assamese cultural identity. “He is saying Ajan Peer with Sankardev — but where has Madhavdev gone? People know Sankardev always had Madhavdev by his side. Gaurav wants to change Assamese culture’s definition. He wants that the indegnious Assamese people live together with Bangladeshis. We do not want a Bor Asom of this type. If he brings the Bangladeshis, where shall we go?” Sarma said.Sarma, who is seeking to retain Jalukbari seat for the sixth time in a row, says this time 85-90% of voters will vote for himBefore delimitation, Jalukbari was a mixed urban rural constituency where Sarma’s dominance was already unchallenged, culminating in a 2021 landslide win with 77.39% vote share and a margin of over 1 lakh votes.Post delimitation, Jalukbari has expanded with over 40,000 more voters, now more urban suburban in profile with central Guwahati wards shifted out and new peri urban areas added. This structural change favours BJP’s development-centric pitch and Sarma’s urban appeal.Jalukbari remains his fortress, a seat he has won five times in a row. Sarma made his debut here in 1996, losing to Assam movement stalwart Bhrigu Kumar Phukan, but returned in 2001 to defeat him and has never looked back.