Guwahati, March 3 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday alleged that the Congress party has shaped its electoral strategy around Assembly constituencies dominated by what he described as “Bangladeshi-origin Muslims” ahead of the upcoming state elections.

Speaking to reporters here, Sarma claimed that the seats being contested by the Congress as part of alliance arrangements are largely those with a significant concentration of Muslims of alleged Bangladeshi origin. He asserted that this approach reflects the party’s political priorities and marks a departure from what he termed the interests of Assam’s indigenous communities.

“The people of Assam should closely observe the seats Congress is contesting under its alliance. Most of these constituencies belong to Bangladeshi-origin Muslim populations. Congress is clearly not standing with the indigenous people of the state,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the pattern has become more evident as the Assembly elections draw nearer.

Sarma further referred to the reported political contest between the Congress and regional party Raijor Dal, led by activist-turned-politician Akhil Gogoi. He alleged that this contest too is largely confined to similar constituencies, reinforcing his claim about Congress’s electoral focus.

“From the beginning, I have maintained that Congress is not aligned with Assam or its indigenous population. Had the contest been over seats like Jorhat or Dibrugarh, it would have conveyed a different message. Instead, Congress has mortgaged its political soul to Bangladeshi-origin Muslim voters and is running its politics from those constituencies,” Sarma alleged.

The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid heightened political rhetoric in the state, as parties step up preparations for the Assembly polls.

Issues related to identity, migration, citizenship and the protection of indigenous rights are expected to dominate the election discourse.

The Congress party has not issued any immediate response to Sarma’s comments.

Political observers note that the coming weeks are likely to witness sharper exchanges between rival parties as campaigning intensifies across the state.

–IANS

tdr/uk