Dibrugarh (Assam) [India], April 7 : Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has slammed the Congress over its allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife and said that the opposition party "will have to face punishment for its dirty politics".
BJP leaders have launched a strong attack on Congress after its media department chairperson Pawan Khera made allegations against the Chief Minister and his wife on Sunday at a press conference in the national capital.
Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma has filed an FIR with Assam Police over the allegations, which came amid a hectic campaign for the assembly polls in the state scheduled for April 9.
Sonowal, a former Assam Chief Minister who was campaigning in Dibrugarh, expressed confidence in the BJP's victory in the state.
"The Congress will have to face punishment for its dirty politics," he told ANI. "There is enthusiasm among the people, and they have decided to make the BJP victorious in Assam," he added.
Assam Police searched Congress leader Pawan Khera's residence in Delhi on Tuesday, a day after Sarma's wife filed an FIR.
At a press conference in Guwahati on Monday, Sarma vowed to take "stringest action" against Pawan Khera.
"I will take stringest action against Congress leader Pawan Khera, just wait for some days. We will win at least 100 seats in the elections." Sarma said.
He countered the allegations levelled by Congress, claiming that property documents used to link his family to apartments in Dubai were stolen from the document-sharing platform Scribd.
Riniki Bhuyan Sharma on Monday said she has filed an FIR over the allegations levelled by Congress and accused the opposition party of acting in frustration and trying to "set up a playbook".
In an interview with ANI, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma said that allegations cannot be taken in "a lenient manner" and "let justice prevail".
Following the police searches at Khera's residence, Assam Police DCP Debajit Nath said, "We have searched his house. We can't give more details."
Sarma claimed that Khera has "run away" to Hyderabad.
"I have come to know through the media that the police have gone to his residence in Delhi, but he has run away to Hyderabad. The law will take its own course."
Counting for the assembly polls in Assam will take place on May 4.