- May 5, 2026
‘Paid Him Back With Interest’: When Himanta Sarma Vowed To ‘Teach’ Gaurav Gogoi A Lesson
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Chief Minister Himanta Sarma said that the BJP’s win of 102 seats in the 126-member assembly was not easy to achieve and reflected the strong support of the people of Assam.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (File photo)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday hailed the BJP’s sweeping victory in the state as “unprecedented” and launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, saying that the saffron party had “paid him back with interest.”
In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, the Chief Minister said that the BJP’s win of 102 seats in the 126-member assembly was not easy to achieve and reflected the strong support of the people of Assam. “This is an unprecedented result. We are grateful to the people,” he said.
He further traded barbs at Gogoi, who suffered a major defeat against BJP candidate Hitendra Nath Goswami by a margin of 23,182 votes from Jorhat, and asserted that the BJP had not fabricated any documents against him and claimed that the Congress leader had never disputed the evidence presented.
“We have not manufactured documents. Gaurav Gogoi never disputed the documents we showed. We paid him back with interest,” Sarma said.
The Assam Chief Minister has repeatedly targeted Gogoi and his wife, Elizabeth Coulburn, in the past over alleged links with Pakistan. In September last year, Sarma claimed that the SIT probing the alleged Pakistani links of the Gogoi family had uncovered “startling facts” suggesting a larger conspiracy to “undermine India’s sovereignty.”
Sarma had raised questions about a meeting Gaurav Gogoi held 10 years ago with the then Pakistan High Commissioner to India. The state government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the alleged interference of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who is claimed to have links with Gogoi’s British wife Elizabeth Colburn, in India’s internal affairs.
Rejecting opposition claims of electoral malpractice, the BJP leader said that allegations of “vote theft” were baseless and questioned why concerns were being raised only in states where the BJP had won.
He added that allegations of voters being prevented from voting were not new and claimed similar concerns had not been raised in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sarma also made remarks on West Bengal, saying there was no evidence of people fleeing to Assam and asserting that the BJP would deliver on a promise of “no fear, only trust” in the state. “People in Bengal wanted to vote for the BJP for a long time but were scared,” he claimed.
Sarma further credited the BJP’s performance to broad-based support, including from sections of the Muslim community, and stressed that Assam had moved beyond politics based on religion.
“Assam has joined the list of privileged states where BJP has won three times straight. We don’t get into caste politics, Assam votes as one community. We have got 16% more votes and 80 more seats than Congress. We have been able to unite the entire Hindu community of Assam and the Muslim community. All the seats belonging to Congress are Muslim seat,” he said.
Sarma also defended the party’s campaign style, describing elections in the state as a “festival,” and reiterated that voters had strongly backed the BJP’s agenda. Highlighting governance, the Chief Minister said that the BJP had delivered on its promises and expressed confidence about the state’s future.
“In Assam, we convert elections into a festival. We enjoy the democracy. Sarbananda Sonowal and I have great love and affection, we enjoy healthy relation. The BJP is committed to implement its election manifesto in letter and in spirit,” he said.
Assam Poll Election Results
The BJP, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, romped home to victory in Assam, increasing its tally to 82 seats, compared to 60 in 2021. Along with its allies, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 102 seats. The Opposition Congress was further humbled, its tally plunging to 19 compared to the previous election’s 29.
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