Assam CM targets Opposition candidate's mother over social media posts

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma targeted Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) campaigner Kunki Chowdhury, alleging that her parent had made societal media posts supporting Pakistan and hurting the sentiments of 'Sanatani' people.

Mr. Sarma connected Thursday (April 2, 2026) claimed that Ms. Chowdhury's parent had shared posts related to beef depletion and made remarks violative to definite sections.

The remarks triggered a crisp effect from the AJP, with enactment president Lurinjyoti Gogoi accusing the Chief Minister of resorting to "Hindu-Muslim rhetoric" erstwhile helium has nary reply to questions raised by them.

Youngest candidates successful the fray

Twenty-seven-year-old Ms. Chowdhury, among the youngest candidates successful the fray, is making her electoral debut from Guwahati Central constituency. She is pitted against elder BJP person Vijay Kumar Gupta.

Speaking to reporters connected the sidelines of his run astatine Khowang, from wherever Mr. Gogoi is contesting, Mr. Sarma said, "Kunki Chowdhury's parent is Sujata Gurung Chowdhury. She is simply a pistillate from Sikkim. We bash not person a occupation with that." "But she has shared galore photos of eating beef connected Instagram... She is challenging the Sanatani people," the CM said, showing 1 specified purported photograph of the elder Ms. Chowdhury connected his mobile phone.

He besides claimed that Sujata had supported Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid implicit their purported comments for "cutting disconnected the Chicken's Neck corridor" connecting the Northeast with the remainder of the country.

Mr. Sarma besides took a idiosyncratic swipe astatine Lurinjyoti Gogoi, saying that a erstwhile All Assam Students' Union (AASU) person similar him present needs the Gandhi household to triumph elections.

The AJP is contesting the Assembly polls successful confederation with the Congress and 4 different parties, with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra having campaigned successful Mr. Gogoi's constituency connected Wednesday.

"His lone purpose is to go an MLA and get married. I situation him to quality my assertions," Mr. Sarma added.

Mr. Gogoi, hitting back, questioned wherefore the Chief Minister was dragging the candidate's parent into the governmental discourse.

"Why are you taking connected the mother? You should instrumentality connected the candidate," helium asserted.

"She is simply a highly educated miss with a master's grade from University College London, younger than his daughter, and erstwhile she raised cardinal questions, helium could not reply," the AJP main maintained.

He said Ms. Kunki had raised the issues of artificial floods successful Guwahati, postulation congestion, onshore rights for the indigenous people, and erstwhile the Chief Minister did not person immoderate reply for these, "he went connected doing Hindu-Muslim".

On the CM's allegation of Ms. Kunki's parent supporting Pakistan, Mr. Gogoi said, "Why is helium bringing up Pakistan? Is the main curate warring elections successful Pakistan? If helium wants to spell there, fto him. We lone cognize Assam and Guwahati Central." "The BJP has fixed candidature to an outsider businessman successful Guwahati Central, and erstwhile our highly educated, section campaigner is gaining ground, helium is worried," helium claimed.

This is simply a democracy. What 1 eats, which religion they practise are backstage matters, Mr. Gogoi added.

Refusing to beryllium dragged into the CM's remark connected his wedding plans, Mr. Gogoi said, "When we rise applicable questions connected Zubeen Garg's death, helium diverts the taxable to my wedding. He whitethorn triumph elections, but it volition not halt america from raising the existent issues." Reacting to the Chief Minister's allegations, Ms. Kunki besides posted a sarcastic video connected societal media successful which she thanked Mr. Sarma for making her a household sanction successful the country.

"A large acknowledgment to the honourable main minister. I learnt that during a media interaction, helium made immoderate allegations against my mother, which are wholly untrue," she said.

Ms. Kunki maintained that the allegations beryllium that "the BJP has accepted decision successful Guwahati Central seat".

"It has been conscionable 15 days since I person joined politics, and wrong this abbreviated span of time, the emotion that radical of Guwahati Central and Assam person fixed maine has disquieted them. With him (Sarma) uttering my name, the full state volition present cognize who is Kunki Chowdhury. I convey him again," she added.

Elections for the 126-member Assam Assembly volition beryllium held connected April 9. Votes volition beryllium counted connected May 4.