Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday, 29 September sharply escalated his campaign rhetoric against Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora at an election rally in Morigaon, questioning her record as a former legislator ahead of the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll scheduled for 6 October. The attack marks a significant intensification of the ruling alliance's campaign in one of Assam's most politically watched constituencies.

Sarma's Sharpest Attacks on Bora

Addressing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and supporters, Sarma alleged that Bora had failed to raise critical issues affecting Batadroba during her five-year tenure as its Member of the Legislative Assembly. In a pointed jab, Sarma referred to Bora as a 'silent bride,' claiming she did not raise the matter of Batadroba Than — a significant local concern — even once on the floor of the Assam Assembly.

The Chief Minister's remarks were calibrated to undercut Bora's credibility among local voters, framing her legislative record as one of inaction on constituency-specific issues. Sarma has been addressing a series of rallies and public meetings across the region, consistently targeting Congress over what he describes as its poor governance record in the state.

Sarma Takes Aim at Congress MP Rakibul Hussain

Beyond Bora, Sarma also turned his attention to Congress MP Rakibul Hussain, making an apparent reference to Hussain's campaign activities in the Samaguri area. In a sarcastic remark, Sarma said that if Hussain's visits to Samaguri had proven beneficial to the Congress cause, he would personally invite the Congress leader to visit the constituency two or three more times — implying that Hussain's presence was, in fact, helping the BJP.

This comes amid an increasingly combative campaign atmosphere, with senior leaders from both sides trading sharp exchanges as polling day approaches.

The Contest: BJP's Devashish Sharma vs Congress's Sibamoni Bora

The BJP-led alliance has fielded Devashish Sharma as its candidate, while Congress has nominated Sibamoni Bora for the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat. The bypoll carries considerable political weight — the ruling alliance is seeking to consolidate its hold over the constituency, while Congress is working to rebuild its foothold in Assam after a series of electoral setbacks.

Notably, the Nagaon constituency has historically been a competitive battleground, making the outcome a bellwether for both parties' standing in the state ahead of future assembly elections.

Congress Campaign and Key Themes

Congress leaders have been countering by highlighting concerns over governance, development deficits, and local interests, seeking to mobilise voters on ground-level issues. Employment, infrastructure development, and the performance of previous elected representatives have emerged as the dominant themes of the campaign from both sides.

With the campaign entering its final phase before the 6 October poll, the intensity of rhetoric from both camps is expected to rise further — and the result will be closely watched as a signal of political momentum in Assam.