BJP emerged as the single-largest party, winning 82 seats, followed by Congress in a distant second with 19 seats. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

A huge hoarding of ‘Akou ebar BJP sorkar’ (BJP government once more) greets visitors as they emerge from the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Assam’s Guwahati. However, there’s little else giving away the fact that it’s election season here barring an odd party flag or empty booth. The road to the city is festooned with more welcome messages, flags and posters for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during one of their numerous visits to inaugurate some project or lay the foundation stone for another — a hallmark of the BJP’s signature style ‘permanent campaign’. There’s a cartographic change, this time, though.

Assembly elections LIVE: Campaigning ends in Kerala, Assam, Puducherry today

The airport area now marks the western limits of Legislative Assembly Constituency 37, Jalukbari, the seat that has sent Himanta Biswa Sarma to the Assam Assembly without fail since 2001. The 2023 delimitation exercise has left the Chief Minister with a newer set of voters to woo. Some regions from the erstwhile Guwahati West constituency have been incorporated, some ceded to adjoining Assembly segments.

Places such as Agyathuri, Mandakata and Changsari on the north bank of the Brahmaputra in Guwahati are out; and areas such as Azara, Dharapur, and Garigaon, an old village of more than 14,000 residents, are in.

Mr. Sarma filed his nomination papers on the very first day, March 20, after a massive roadshow, his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, son Nandil, and BJP’s Guwahati MP Bijuli Kalita Medhi in tow. “I first contested from Jalukbari in 1996 and lost. Since 2001, I have been winning continuously. Despite delimitation changes, I believe I will continue to receive the blessings of the people,” he said en route. Launching the second phase of the party’s Jana Ashirwad Yatra from his constituency three days later, the Chief Minister asked Jalukbari residents to bear with him given that he would be helming the campaign across the State.

With Mr. Sarma criss-crossing the State as campaigner-in-chief for the BJP-led alliance, the canvassing on home turf fell upon Ms. Sarma, who has been micromanaging things and touring the constituency extensively.

The Chief Minister is up against two other candidates, Bidisha Neog of the Congress and Dipika Das of the Bhumi Adhikar Party, contesting as an Independent. Ms. Neog, a grassroots worker who worked at Gauhati University, has struck a combative note, hitting out at the BJP workers for alleged violence at a bike rally in the Pandu area and petitioning the Election Commission to cancel Mr. Sarma’s candidature for “deliberate, wilful and corrupt non-disclosure and suppression of assets and liabilities, including assets situated outside India”.

A win for Mr. Sarma is, however, well-nigh a foregone conclusion. Seated beside the Shri Dol Gobindo Mandir in Garal Baruapara, Dharapur, Jugal Das, a teacher at the local lower primary school, and Girish Chandra Das, a retired bank officer, beam with pride at the prospect of the Chief Minister representing them in the Assembly. They claim he will cast his vote at a school in their area.

Assam Election 2026: What BJP and Congress promise in their manifestos

Grooming Garigaon

Messrs Das are already sold on the idea of ‘Himanta Biswa Sarma, MLA, Jalukbari’, but the challenge for the BJP is to ensure healthy numbers in order to match or better the CM’s six-figure margin from 2021. This is where Garigaon comes into play. Part of the peri-urban expansion of Guwahati, Garigaon and its fringes count caste Hindu Assamese and Bengali-origin Muslims among residents but it’s khilonjia or tholuwa (‘indigenous’) Muslims who make up the majority.

“We are older than the Ahoms [who came to Assam in the medieval times and ruled for almost 600 years]. There’s a mazar (shrine) of a Sufi saint in Garigaon that dates back to 700 AD,” claims Hukum Shan Ali Boxi, the local councillor who was aligned with the Assam Jatiya Parishad earlier but is now firmly with the ruling party.

The party machinery has been put to work, he says. Membership has swelled in recent months and the area is witness to daily door-to-door campaigns and corner meets ahead of polling day, April 9. The Chief Minister’s wife addressed a sizeable gathering at the local Idgah ground on April 3 besides visiting a nearby namghar [a community prayer hall for followers of Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva].

There are visible changes in Garigaon since the 2023 delimitation: paved roads with street lights lined alongside. “The local youth clubs, graveyard and madrasa have received funds too,” says Taher Ali, who runs a corner shop. “Many women are beneficiaries of the Orunodoi monthly financial assistance scheme,” he adds.

Mr. Boxi says the development work is translating into votes: “The party got more than 1,000 votes from the area in the 2024 Lok Sabha election as against only 200-odd votes earlier.”

Iman Ali, in his seventies and a new member of the BJP Bishwabidyalaya Mandal Minority Morcha, concedes some old loyalists may still vote for the Congress. “We should deem ourselves fortunate that we now have the opportunity to elect our own Chief Minister. Mama [as Mr. Sarma is popularly called] is winning anyway. It’s a question of whether we join him or stay on the sidelines,” he says.

Published – April 07, 2026 12:09 pm IST

You were an adviser to the regional party Raijor Dal during its early days before dissociating yourself. Why then did you issue appeals for the Opposition to come together this Assembly election?

I used to be adviser but Akhil Gogoi [Raijor Dal chief] refused to have any truck with the Congress, which allied with the AIUDF and other parties in the previous election. Since I was supporting the alliance, I felt it unethical to remain with Akhil Gogoi and resigned.

Things have changed a lot since then. This time, I had this notion of an Opposition unity quite early. We had an all-Assam citizens’ convention in Guwahati last year and told political parties that they could draw strength from each other and the electorate is much more likely to support such an alliance than individual parties. To our delight they agreed, but it took a pretty long time. They are holding joint campaign meetings everywhere now.

How are the new regional parties different from their 1980s predecessor, Asom Gana Parishad?

The AGP got completely exposed during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act agitation. Its MP Biren Baishya made a fiery speech against the Act in Rajya Sabha but [later] raised his hand in support. The party remained with the BJP but said they would continue to struggle against the CAA. It has become law and apparently they are still against it. The All Assam Students’ Union also lost most of its clout due to a similar position.

Has the political discourse today has touched a new low? We have never heard the pejorative term ‘Miya’ being bandied about so freely in the past as now.

During the Assam Movement, some diehard supporters used the word among themselves. But it was never a part of the public rhetoric. The Chief Minister [Himanta Biswa Sarma] goes on saying I am not going to allow the ‘Miyas’ to rest and I shall harass them as much as I can, this is why I became CM. Imagine a Chief Minister saying something like this.

As part of a group of concerned citizens, you moved the courts over the alleged hate speeches. The next High Court hearing is scheduled for April 21.

Since this is the incumbent Chief Minister, the court should have said something about it. Some steps should have been taken to restrain him in the meantime. The hearing has been postponed to a very safe date.

There hasn’t been much forward movement since the 2019 National Register of Citizens excluded 19.06 lakh people…

This is begging for an answer for a long time. It’s been seven years. Neither has the government accepted it nor rejected it on some rational ground. It was NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela’s brainchild, how to ensure that real citizens find entry by considering the legacy data. They were so strict that even natives had to suffer a lot. My own citizenship was confirmed after several visits to the NRC centre. The NRC is sound. There is no evidence of corruption, mismanagement. The BJP says there are lakhs and lakhs of Bangladeshis in the NRC and they are going to correct it. They should bring evidence.

The citizenship issue raises the question, who is an indigenous Assamese that Clause 6 of the Assam Accord seeks Constitutional protections for?

That is a riddle I have not been able to solve. There is a sense among people that some are more native, others are not, but it’s a question of citizenship. There is scope for migrants from other States to come and settle here. Are they indigenous? No. It is a very complicated term and concept. It cannot be applied in legal terms.

You facilitated talks between the Government of India and ULFA over 15 years ago. To all intents and purposes, has militancy run its course?

I remember when I was studying in Delhi in 1959-60. There were students from Andhra Pradesh, Punjab in the hostel… most of these States were as poor as Assam, but they became far more developed and richer. Assam does have a grievance against the Centre and I share it too. Given this background, extremist regionalism does rear its head from time to time. But you have to be callow to think short-term violence brings results… it never does. People bore the brunt of it. They may not take kindly to this kind of violence as they once used to.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the inauguration of an Orchid Park at Kaziranga, in Golaghat, on March 3, 2026. Photo: X/@himantabiswa via ANI.

Representative image
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday urged Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi to defend his father, Tarun Gogoi, who was indicted by a government report in the ‘cash-for-job’ scam in state civil services recruitment. During a discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s speech in the Assam Assembly, Mr Sarma said that he had to table the report after Congress insisted.

“I want Gaurav Gogoi that being the son of Tarun Gogoi, he must defend his father. Strangely, three days have passed since the report came out and accusations were levelled against his father, but there is no statement. These are the warriors of new Assam…Tarun Gogoi is no more, and I never wanted people to remember him associating him with corruption in APSC,” the Chief Minister said.

The report, which probed into the anomalies in the conduct of the Assam Public Service Commission’s (APSC) Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) in 2013 and 2014, was tabled in the state assembly earlier this week. The report highlighted the role of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in appointing the prime accused Rakesh Kumar Paul first as a member and later as chairman of the APSC.

It states that Mr Paul’s appointment was based solely on a personal application he submitted to Mr Gogoi on September 6, 2008 – without any formal selection process or background verification. The process was “ill-founded, paving the way for widespread corruption”. It also mentioned that Mr Paul made APSC a “shop selling jobs”.

It was also mentioned that Mr Paul had gifted gold jewellery to Gaurav Gogoi as a wedding gift.

The Assam Chief Minister alleged that the opposition leader did not declare to the Income Tax Department about the expensive gifts he received during his wedding.

“Anyone can receive gifts at a wedding, no problem with that. It has to be reported to Income Tax. I have read his 2014 election affidavit and this jewellery was not shown there. We all know that gift tax is 30 per cent. Gaurav has not denied taking the gifts in the last three days,” he said.

He further told the assembly that one day, he will resent a comparison document between the “dark history” of Congress tenure and BJP’s “transparent and clean” system in the recruitment process of the state.

Row over Gaurav Gogoi’s Pakistani links

In another issue, Mr Sarma also hit out at Gaurav Gogoi over his alleged Pakistan links in the state assembly.

A controversy erupted on February 12 when BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Mr Gogoi’s wife Elizabeth Colburn shared ties with the ISI while she worked with the Climate and Knowledge Development Network in Islamabad under Ali Tauqeer Sheikh Sheikh, a former advisor to the Planning Commission of Pakistan. Mr Sarma, without naming Mr Gogoi, also raised similar accusations the same day, prompting a sharp retort from the Congress leader.

On Monday, the Chief Minister said that Ms Colburn will be probed over her alleged links with Pakistan and her alleged participation in the Lok Sabha election campaigns despite being a British citizen.

“Pakistani national Ali Sheikh against whom the state government has filed an FIR for his comments that could disturb internal harmony in the country, travelled to India at least 18 times between 2010 and 2018, Assam Police has found in its preliminary investigation. The SIT probing the matter found only in three days that Sheikh travelled multiple times to India. In the detailed investigation, we will get to know who brought him to India and who met Sheikh. This information will be revealed in the next few days,” Mr Sarma told the assembly.

He added, “The initial information I got in this matter will be very fatal for the Congress party. It will be very difficult for them to handle…The committee report was just 10 per cent. This Pak links matter is 1000 per cent and it is going to be huge.”

Guwahati:

Australia has lifted travel restrictions for Assam, while Germany is in the process of revising its advisory. However, restrictions will remain in place for four districts – Tinsukia, Charaideo, Sivasagar, and Dibrugarh – where the Disturbed Areas Act is still enforced due to the presence of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA.

“I told you earlier that Australia and Germany had begun reviewing their travel advisories for Assam. Now, Australia has officially updated its guidelines, allowing travel across the state except for the four districts where AFSPA remains in effect. Previously, the advisory covered all of Assam, but now it is limited to these specific districts,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in Guwahati on Thursday.

Mr Sarma said the Australian High Commissioner assured that once AFSPA is lifted from these four districts, Australia will fully remove its travel advisory. Germany is expected to announce a modification soon.

Global Delegation To Visit Assam

The announcement comes ahead of a major diplomatic event in Assam. A delegation of 35 heads of missions will visit the state, led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The number is expected to increase to 50.

The Prime Minister’s Office arranged a special aircraft for their travel, with expenses covered by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The delegation will arrive in Kaziranga on February 23, attend the Jhumur performance on February 24, and participate in the inaugural session of Advantage Assam 2.0 in Khanapara on February 25. They will return to New Delhi on the same night.

The delegation includes representatives from Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Rwanda, Sweden, Syria, Sudan, Thailand, and Singapore. Some additional countries are also expected to participate.

PM Modi To Inaugurate Advantage Assam 2.0

Following the Jhumur event at Sarusajai on February 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the exhibition grounds. He is expected to explore two exhibition halls – Pride of Assam, and Future of Assam – before inaugurating Advantage Assam 2.0 on February 25.

Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita, and prominent industrialists will be part of the audience.

Two entrepreneurs from Assam – Abhijit Baruah (Oxygen producer) and Anupam Deka (founder of Repose) will speak in the inaugural function. Other prominent personalities who will be the key speakers of the function are – Anil Kumar Chalamalasetty (CEO, Greenko Group); Prashant Ruia (CEO, Essar Group); Sajjan Jindal (MD, JSW Group); Anil Agarwal (Chairman, Vedanta Group); Gautam Adani, Mukesh Ambani, and Natarajan Chandrasekaran.

The inaugural function will conclude with the Prime Minister’s address.

Massive Business Interest In Assam’s Growth

Over 18,505 people have registered for Advantage Assam 2.0, with 15,000 approvals. Additionally, 394 participants expressed interest in business-to-government (B2G) sessions, while 452 were keen on business-to-business (B2B) meetings – figures comparable to Gujarat’s investment summits.

On February 23, the Assam Cabinet will review MoU requests to ensure only credible agreements are signed. Along with investment deals, proposals have been received to establish hospitals and universities in Assam. Singapore has already begun investing in Assam’s logistics sector.

A total of 1,512 MoU requests have been received, along with 11,900 expressions of interest from Assam’s MSMEs. The central government is expected to announce new infrastructure projects during the event.

Key Sessions At Advantage Assam 2.0

The event will feature several high-profile sessions, including “i-way to Developed Assam” to be addressed by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, featuring telecom and foreign industry leaders; “Act East, Act First, Act Fast” – with participation from ambassadors and high commissioners, keynote by S Jaishankar; “semiconductor Industry” to be led by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and hydrocarbon sector to be addressed by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

There will be sessions on transport, railways, and shipping which will be virtually attended by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and export promotion to be led by Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

There will be a session on Bhutan-India Cooperation featuring Bhutan’s Agriculture Minister and a 12-member Bhutanese delegation.

The valedictory session will be presided over by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighting the proposed semiconductor industry in Jagiroad and the Numaligarh Bamboo Refinery.

Senior officials from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, New Development Bank, and International Finance Corporation are expected to attend. Discussions will also focus on land and financial assistance for investors, with 2,200 attendees, including MSME entrepreneurs and beneficiaries of state and central government schemes.

Showcasing Assam’s Strengths

The summit will feature thematic sessions on aero-defence, aerospace, the aroma industry, and Assam’s economic future. A special session will commemorate 200 years of Assam tea, focusing on strategies to restore its global dominance amid declining quality.

Additional sessions will discuss global platforms for MSMEs and One District, One Product (ODOP), Ayush, fragrance, and flavours industry growth and medical tourism and Assam as a global healthcare destination.

The public exhibition opens on February 27.

Guwahati:

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday ordered the registration of a case against a Pakistani national, who is believed to have links with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, for “trying to interfere in domestic matters” of the state and the country. 

Mr Sarma also said that Elizabeth Colburn, Mr Gogoi’s wife, will also be probed over her alleged links with Pakistan and its intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Besides, she will also be investigated over her alleged participation in the Lok Sabha election campaigns despite being a British citizen.

The erstwhile Kaliabor constituency was won by Mr Gogoi twice, from 2014 till 2024. 

The developments that took place during a cabinet meeting came a day after Mr Gogoi threatened to approach court over Mr Sarma and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s accusations against his wife. 

There was no immediate reaction from the Congress leader on Mr Sarma’s latest comment but earlier in the day, he said he does not want to get involved in “dirty and baseless” politics. He had also rejected the charges as “laughable and entertaining” in the past.

Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, Mr Sarma said: “Multiple news reports, social media posts and other information in the public domain have surfaced regarding certain comments made by a Pakistan national, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, aimed at disrupting communal harmony in Assam. Given the broader national security implications of this issue, particularly in Assam, the state cabinet has directed the DGP to register a case against Sheikh under appropriate provisions of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and other relevant laws.” 

The Chief Minister also alleged that an assessment of Mr Sheikh’s social media activity and information available in the public domain shows he has been in contact with Ms Colburn.

“Apart from his engagements with Government of Pakistan, Ali Sheikh has also founded LEAD Pakistan, a non-profit organisation working in the field of climate change. Elizabeth Gogoi was an integral part of LEAD Pakistan during her time spent in Islamabad. Both Sheikh and Elizabeth Gogoi have been a part of global climate action group called the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) which operates in both India and Pakistan,” he said. 

In light of these facts and given the historical attempts of Pakistani state and non-state actors to destabilise Assam, the state government took Mr Sheikh’s attempts to interfere in the domestic matters of the state and India with utmost seriousness, he added. 

A controversy erupted on February 12 when BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Ms Colburn shared ties with the ISI while she worked with the Climate and Knowledge Development Network in Islamabad under Mr Sheikh, a former advisor to the Planning Commission of Pakistan.

Mr Sarma, without naming Mr Gogoi, also raised similar accusations the same day, prompting a sharp retort from the Congress leader. He counter attacked with a movie reference. “If Salman Khan’s wife can be an ISI agent like in ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’, then I must be a RAW agent too,” Mr Gogoi said. 

On Saturday, Mr Sarma said a police case is likely to be registered and a Special Investigation Team be constituted to probe into the allegations against the opposition leader’s wife.

The Chief Minister alleged that after Ms Colburn married Mr Gogoi, Mr Sheikh must have gained access to the Chief Minister’s Office. 

He also alleged that Mr Gogoi’s visit to the Pakistan embassy has been confirmed. “In the Lok Sabha, the MP asked questions on nuclear radars, uranium mines in Meghalaya and other such sensitive matters. What was the need to know such things by an Assam MP? I hope he and his wife will cooperate in the probe, otherwise they will be summoned,” he said. 

Mr Sarma also alleged that Ms Colburn campaigned for her husband prior to two Lok Sabha elections in Kaliabor constituency.

“How could a British national take part in Indian elections? She was directly involved with the election process and we can see old TV clippings. That means she violated visa norms. If so, the Indian government should examine it and revoke her visa,” he said.

The Chief Minister said when he meets Union Home Minister Amit Shah the next time, he will discuss how the state government’s proactiveness can be synergised with central agencies.

It looks like Mr Gogoi is just an actor, and not the director, in the entire system, Mr Sarma said. “Maybe, he is trapped unintentionally. So, we will examine the matter with a sympathetic outlook. We don’t want to accuse him at this moment,” he said. 

“The way London, America and Islamabad are involved, he may be blackmailed also, who knows about it? Therefore, the entire subject requires serious deep investigation,” he added.

Mr Sarma said he will submit “all documents” to state Congress President Bhupen Borah, so that they can verify the facts themselves. “Perhaps, the Congress is unaware of the full picture,” he said. 

“When the case is investigated, I will write a letter to Borah to inform him about the background and the reasons behind our decision to pursue the matter. The letter I will give to the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Amit Shah) will also be given to INC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Borah. This is a matter of national security,” he said. 

Earlier in the day, Mr Gogoi said that instead of getting involved in “dirty and baseless” politics, the Congress is working on how to give a new economy, social order, education and health policy to Assam. “I have no objection to that if he (Mr Sarma) wants to spend the next 12 months like this only. I am grateful for that,” the Congress leader said.

New Delhi:

The Assam cabinet led by Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will discuss the ‘national security” angle of alleged Pakistani links of the wife of Gaurav Gogoi, Congress MP from Assam and Deputy Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha. In a post on X, without naming Mr Gogoi, Mr Sarma said: “On February 16, the Assam Cabinet will deliberate on whether the recent revelations concerning an MP from Assam have any implications for national security. The discussion will focus on assessing the matter objectively and thoroughly, ensuring that any necessary actions are taken from a completely nonpartisan standpoint”.

Earlier, Mr Sarma alleged that Mr Gogoi raised questions in Parliament on sensitive defence matters after his marriage to a British citizen. 

There have been social media posts by pro-BJP handles alleging that Elizabeth Colebourn, wife of Mr Gogoi, allegedly had professional ties with ISI-linked Pakistani individuals during her time in Islamabad. She has worked directly under Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a former advisor to the Planning Commission of Pakistan, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia has alleged.

In another post, Mr Sarma said: “In 2015, the Pakistani High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, invited a first-term Member of Parliament (MP) and his startup, Policy for Youth, to discuss India-Pakistan relations at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. 

Notably, this MP was not a member of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs at the time, raising questions about the intent behind his engagement. This visit occurred despite India’s official protest against the Pakistani High Commission’s interference in internal matters, particularly its involvement with the Hurriyat Conference. Ignoring these concerns, the MP took 50 to 60 young Indians to meet Pakistani officials.”

“Soon after, his startup published an article in a newspaper, criticising the Border Security Force’s handling of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. A closer examination of his parliamentary questions revealed a growing focus on sensitive defence matters, including inquiries about Coast Guard radar installations, India’s arms factories, aeronautical defence, transit routes for trade with Iran, Kashmiri students, and alleged attacks on churches-marking a noticeable shift in his areas of interest. Interestingly, these developments occurred immediately after his marriage to a British citizen with a professional background that raises further questions. Before their marriage, she had worked for an American senator known for close ties with the Pakistani establishment and later spent time in Pakistan, employed by an organization widely believed to be a front for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The timing of these events adds another layer of intrigue to the MP’s evolving political stance and actions.”

Sarma continued, “Post-Pakistan High Commission Meeting: Defence and Security Questions Raised in Parliament The 26/11 Mumbai attacks exposed critical vulnerabilities in India’s coastal security. In this context, Question No. 2, raised by the Hon’ble MP, specifically sought detailed information on coastal radar stations, including their specifications and costs. Key Questions That Arise: Why would an MP from Assam-a landlocked state-seek classified details on coastal radar systems? What was the necessity of putting such sensitive information in the public domain? Why was this inquiry made shortly after the MP’s meeting with the Pakistani High Commissioner? Given the national security implications, can this be dismissed as a mere coincidence?

He posted a picture of Gaurav Gogoi with the ambassador. The accompanying text read, “Such a high-level interaction with the ambassador of an adversarial nation requires MEA approval and a post-meeting debriefing. Hope the Hon’ble MP complied with these requirements, as national security must always take precedence over politics”.

On Wednesday, Gaurav Gogoi responded with a sarcastic remark. “If Salman Khan’s wife can be an ISI agent like in Tiger Zinda Hai, then I must be a RAW agent too,” he said.

He claimed that the allegations are baseless and politically motivated and the Chief Minister was making these claims because of cases of alleged land grabbing against his family.

“It is something laughable, BJP has nothing to do. Some one’s land grabbing cases are unearthed one after another, defamation cases are being filed one after another. These are baseless allegations without any substance. This shows their weakness and the fact that they are fast losing ground,” he said.

The MP further alleged that the Chief Minister is “tense” because the new BJP president Dilip Saikia “will become chief minister in another two or three months”.

“The BJP leadership in New Delhi knows about the land cases of the Sarma family and he is worried about getting replaced. This is a ploy to save himself,” he had added.

Guwahati:

The BJP has claimed that the wife of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has links with Pakistan and its intelligence agency ISI, drawing a sharp retort from the leader. 

BJP Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged on Wednesday that Elizabeth Colebourn, the wife of Mr Gogoi, had ties with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) while she worked with the Climate and Knowledge Development Network (CDKN) in Islamabad under Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a former advisor to the Planning Commission of Pakistan. Ms Colebourn allegedly continues to hold British citizenship.

After similar allegations were also made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, without naming Mr Gogoi, the Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha hit back with a movie reference and said sarcastically that he must then be a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent. The Congress MP also said that the Assam chief minister was making the claims because of cases of alleged land grabbing against his family. 

Claiming that it was a matter of national security, BJP Spokesperson Bhatia posted on X, “Very disturbing and serious facts have come to light that the Deputy Leader of Opposition, Gaurav Gogoi and his wife have links with Pakistan and the ISI. I am saying this with some responsibility that Gaurav Gogoi’s wife Elizabeth Colburn (sic), has links with Tauqir Sheikh (sic), who happens to be the advisor in the Pakistan Planning Commission.”

“This is a serious issue which poses a threat to the national security of the country therefore we wish to ask Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge that Gaurav Gogoi needs to come out and give clear details of Elizabeth’s association with ISI and Pakistan…Why is Elizabeth Colburn working with Pakistani ISI agents,” he asked.

Referring to Mr Gandhi’s remarks on “fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian state itself”, Mr Bhatia continued, “Are they working in furtherance of the statement made by Mr Rahul Gandhi that the fight of Rahul Gandhi and Congress is with the Indian state? Will the Congress start supporting ISI and Pakistan to make their political ends meet… Why is it that the Congress party always turns out to be the best friend of Pakistan and ISI when it comes to conspiring against India?”

‘Ecosystem Involved’

Without giving details or naming Mr Gogoi, Assam Chief Minister Sarma questioned if foreign powers – linked to US billionaire George Soros’ “ecosystem” – had influenced a major decision of Assam Congress in 2014. 

In a series of posts on X, Mr Sarma wrote, “Serious questions need to be answered regarding allegations of ISI links, leading young individuals to the Pakistan Embassy for brainwashing and radicalisation, and the refusal to take Indian citizenship for the past 12 years. Additionally, participation in a conversion cartel and receiving funds from external sources, including George Soros, to destabilise national security are grave concerns that cannot be ignored. At some point, accountability will be necessary. Simply deflecting responsibility or attempting to shift the focus onto others will not serve as an easy escape route. The nation deserves transparency and truth”.

The chief minister added, “During my interactions with an IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officer in Singapore, I learned that officers in the Indian Foreign Service cannot marry a foreign national without prior permission from the Government of India. Moreover, even when permission is granted, it comes with the condition that the spouse must acquire Indian citizenship within six months. Interestingly, this rule does not apply to our lawmakers. However, allowing a foreign spouse of a lawmaker to retain foreign citizenship for 12 years is far too long. Loyalty to the nation must always take precedence over all other considerations,” he added. 

‘Ploy To Save Himself’

Gaurav Gogoi counterattacked with a movie reference. 

“If Salman Khan’s wife can be an ISI agent like in ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’, then I must be a RAW agent too,” Mr Gogoi said. 

“It is something laughable, the BJP has nothing to do. Someone’s land-grabbing cases are unearthed one after another, defamation cases are being filed one after another. These are baseless allegations without any substance. This shows their weakness and the fact that they are fast losing ground,” he said. 

“Those who make such allegations must see their family is facing cases of land grabbing and engaged in the debate of setting up a resort. The Assam chief minister is tense that the new BJP president Dilip Saikia will become chief minister in another two or three months. The BJP leadership in New Delhi knows about the land cases of the Sarma family and he is worried about getting replaced. This is a ploy to save himself,” the Congress MP alleged.