Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 26 : Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel described the upcoming Assam Assembly elections as a contest between "real Congress" and the "fake Congress", while targeting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Speaking to reporters here, Baghel said, "The fight there (in Assam) is between the real Congress and the fake Congress. The real Congress is being led by Gaurav Gogoi, and the fake Congress is being led by Himanta Biswa Sarma."
His remarks come as the Congress intensifies its campaign to challenge the BJP-led NDA in the northeastern state.
In a parallel move, the party has appointed a team of All India Congress Committee (AICC) observers for the Assam polls. In an official press release, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge approved the appointment of Ashok Singh, Vinod Verma, Anirudh Singh, Virendra Rathore, Yogesh Dixit, and Aditya Sharma with immediate effect. The appointments are aimed at strengthening organisational coordination ahead of the high-stakes election.
Meanwhile, Gaurav Gogoi strongly condemned the burning of copies of the Assamese newspaper Asomiya Pratidin in Sivasagar, holding the Chief Minister responsible for the incident. He alleged that the BJP government has created a hostile environment for the media, accusing party leaders and workers of repeatedly targeting journalists.
Describing the incident as a "planned and systemic attack," Gogoi said the Chief Minister failed to respond seriously and did not outline any immediate action. He further alleged that individuals linked to illegal syndicates have been given prominence in the BJP's ticket distribution, sidelining senior leaders.
The Congress leader also referred to a recent opposition unity rally in Sarbhog, stating that campaigning would intensify in the coming days despite the limited time provided by the Election Commission.
Assam will go to the polls in a single phase on April 9 for its 126-member Assembly, with counting scheduled for May 4.