Guwahati, October 12: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit will organise peaceful mass rallies at every district headquarters across Assam beginning Tuesday, October 13, and continuing until October 31. The campaign is aimed at countering what the Chief Minister described as a systematic assault by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his party on India’s constitutional institutions.
The announcement comes as the Congress-led INDIA bloc prepares for a high-profile protest march in New Delhi. The opposition coalition had planned to proceed from Connaught Place towards the Supreme Court to submit a memorandum to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and raising concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Chief Justice had earlier declined a request from opposition leaders for a meeting on the issue.
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Sarma accused Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of mounting an attack on the very foundations of India’s democracy. “Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party are mounting an attack on the very foundations of India’s vibrant democracy. Their double standard is plain to see,” the Chief Minister wrote. He alleged that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is elected, Gandhi terms it manipulation, yet Gandhi’s own election to Parliament and his elevation as Leader of the Opposition are treated as beyond question.
Sarma further charged the Congress with selective acceptance of electoral outcomes. “When Assam votes, the result is unacceptable; when Kerala votes, it is welcomed. Democracy, for the Congress, is valid only when it delivers victory for the Congress,” he said. Referring to the planned march to the Supreme Court despite the Chief Justice’s refusal to meet the opposition leaders, Sarma claimed that Gandhi was seeking to exert political pressure on the highest court of the land. “Constitutional institutions cannot be made answerable to a party’s electoral frustrations,” he asserted.
The Chief Minister outlined three core objectives for the statewide mobilisation. First, the rallies would alert citizens to what he called Congress’s attempts to “blackmail constitutional institutions.” Second, they would counter the opposition’s resistance to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which Sarma claimed was designed to shield illegal infiltrators. Third, the programme would defend the democratic mandate of the people and reaffirm the BJP’s support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
According to party sources, the rallies will be held at district headquarters and are expected to draw large numbers of BJP workers, supporters and local leaders. The Assam unit is coordinating the programme with national leadership inputs, ensuring a structured and peaceful demonstration of public support for constitutional institutions and electoral integrity.
The move marks a significant escalation in the political confrontation between the ruling BJP in Assam and the national opposition. By shifting the battle from the national capital to the streets of Assam’s districts, the state government and the party aim to frame the debate around institutional independence versus political convenience. Sarma has repeatedly positioned the SIR exercise as essential for cleaning electoral rolls and protecting the rights of genuine citizens, particularly in a border state like Assam that has long grappled with concerns over illegal migration.
Opposition leaders, for their part, have maintained that their protests are aimed at defending democratic processes and ensuring accountability from the Election Commission. Rahul Gandhi has described the Delhi march as a “March for Democracy” and a “March for Justice,” calling on opposition parties, students and civil society groups to join the peaceful demonstration.
As the two political camps dig in, the coming weeks are likely to witness heightened rhetoric and mobilisation across Assam. The BJP’s district-level campaign, spanning nearly three weeks, is designed not only to counter the opposition narrative but also to consolidate support among the state’s electorate ahead of future political battles.