Did Assam Minister Accept Rs 50 Lakh for His Private Dairy Firm?

Guwahati, June 23 (NationPress) Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi ignited a political controversy on Monday by alleging that a state minister has accepted Rs 50 lakh in taxpayer money for his private dairy business through a government initiative.

Three-time Lok Sabha MP Gogoi spearheaded the accusations, directly confronting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

In a post on X, Gogoi stated that the Chief Minister had brushed aside concerns regarding the allocation with a dismissive comment, quoting him as saying, “What will they do after losing power? Rs 50 lakh of taxpayer money was handed to a minister for his private dairy farm in Assam.”

“The Chief Minister’s blatant response highlights a larger issue — governance devolving into patronage,” he added.

The opposition leader accused the Sarma administration of persistently favoring individuals with political connections while disregarding the true beneficiaries of welfare initiatives.

He claimed that entrepreneurs, small farmers, and marginalized groups are often overlooked in favor of those with political clout.

“This isn't an isolated incident,” Gogoi asserted.

“We have witnessed repeatedly that individuals close to power receive undue advantages, leaving the genuinely needy without support. This diminishes trust in public institutions and undermines the essence of these initiatives.”

Framing the issue as a violation of public trust, Gogoi accused the ruling government of treating governance as a personal benefit.

“This is not public service — it’s the transformation of political power into private advantage,” he emphasized, demanding transparency and accountability in the expenditure of taxpayer funds.

The state government has not yet provided an official statement regarding the allegations. With Gaurav Gogoi taking the helm as the new Assam Congress president, the party has indicated its intention to directly challenge Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in a political showdown, aiming to regain its influence in a state where its presence has significantly diminished over the past decade.

The decision to promote Gogoi — a three-time MP from Jorhat and the party’s Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha — is viewed as a tactical move by the Congress leadership to reinvigorate its Assam faction.

This shift also signals the party’s readiness to counter the BJP’s assertive political narrative, especially Sarma’s repeated attempts to target Gogoi with communal rhetoric, including what the Congress refers to as the “Pakistan bogey.”

By placing Gogoi in a leadership position, the Congress has conveyed a robust message that it is not retreating from a direct ideological and electoral confrontation.

The central leadership’s action also serves as a strong notice to factional leaders within the state unit: the party’s commitment is now firmly behind Gogoi, despite him not being officially declared as the Chief Ministerial candidate.

This appointment signifies a strategic pivot in the Congress’s approach — moving from internal conflict resolution to intensifying its offensive against the BJP in one of the Northeast’s most politically pivotal states.