Goalpara, April 3: Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a blistering attack on the Congress party during a high-voltage rally in Assam’s Goalpara district on Thursday, accusing the opposition of decades of neglect toward tribal communities and deliberate inaction on illegal infiltration.
With the 2026 Assam assembly elections looming, Shah didn’t hold back as he addressed a sea of supporters. “The Congress party only remembers Assam during election time. They have never spoken about the real issues facing our tribal brothers and sisters,” Shah said. He contrasted this with the BJP’s record, pointing to the elevation of Draupadi Murmu, a tribal woman, to the highest constitutional office. “It was Prime Minister Modi who made Draupadi Murmu ji the President of India,” he reminded the crowd.
The Infiltration Charge
The Home Minister’s sharpest barbs were reserved for what he called a “conspiracy” by infiltrators to capture local councils. “Infiltrators are trapping innocent village women through marriage. Their clear goal is to capture the Council elections,” Shah alleged.
He claimed the Congress party had historically enabled this situation. “Congress handed Assam over to infiltrators. If their government ever returns to power, they will open the floodgates again,” he warned.
Shah then made a direct promise to the electorate. “Now, for the third time, form a BJP government. Next time I come to Assam, we will send the infiltrators back,” he vowed, drawing loud cheers from the audience.
‘Give Us Five More Years’
Shah acknowledged that while the BJP administration had successfully identified illegal immigrants after forming the government twice, the process of eviction needed more time. “We have identified the infiltrators. But we don’t have enough time left. Give us another five years, and we will throw every single identified infiltrator out of Assam,” he declared.
The Home Minister also accused the Congress of politicizing the deaths of local youth during the agitation periods, while crediting the BJP for bringing peace to the region. “We made several agreements in Assam. We convinced 10,000 youth to lay down their arms and brought them into the mainstream,” he added.
Battle for Goalpara East
The timing of Shah’s rally is critical. Goalpara East, one of the 126 assembly constituencies, is witnessing a multi-cornered contest. In the 2021 election, Congress leader Abul Kalam Rasheed Alam won the seat by defeating Jyotish Das of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).
For the upcoming 2026 polls, the fight has intensified. Apart from sitting Congress MLA Alam, the fray includes Abdur Rahim Zibran from the Asom Gana Parishad and Sheikh Md Jiaul Haque of the Rashtriya Ulama Council (RUC). Shah’s appeal was aimed squarely at consolidating non-Congress votes to ensure a third straight term for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Election Schedule
The Election Commission has announced that polling for all 126 assembly seats in Assam will be held in a single phase on April 9. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. While the BJP is eyeing a hat-trick of victories, a resurgent Congress is trying to reclaim its lost ground in the northeastern state.
Shah concluded his speech with a note of confidence, asserting that the people of Assam have already decided to re-elect the BJP to protect their culture and identity.