Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly criticized Congress on Thursday, questioning their priorities and suggesting that Akbar holds more significance for Chhattisgarh Congress than Bhupesh Baghel.
Sarma stated, “Congress filed a complaint against me when I mentioned Akbar. It would have been reasonable to complain if I had made comments against TS Singh Deo, Baghel, or any other Congress leader. It seems that, for Chhattisgarh Congress, Akbar is of greater importance than Bhupesh Baghel. Why does Akbar mean so much to you (Congress)?”
On October 26, the Election Commission of India issued a show-cause notice to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding his speech during the Chhattisgarh election campaign in Kawardha. The notice cited that certain portions of Sarma’s speech on October 18 were found to be “prima facie violative.”
Sarma also discussed the BJP’s manifesto for the Chhattisgarh election, expressing confidence in its quality. He remarked, “The BJP’s forthcoming manifesto will be of exceptional quality and the party will make the right decisions at the right time. Please be patient; a much-improved manifesto will be unveiled.”
Regarding the alleged religious conversions in Chhattisgarh, Sarma emphasized, “Conversion is not just a Chhattisgarh issue; it’s a societal concern and a significant one. It’s a criminal conspiracy against us, and to safeguard Chhattisgarh, robust legislation is needed to combat conversion. Conversion should not be driven by avarice. If I were to ask the Chief Minister, Bhupesh Baghel, he would also stand against conversion.”
Chhattisgarh is set to hold elections in two phases in November. The first phase of voting for 20 seats will occur on November 7, with the remaining 70 seats going to the polls on November 17. Vote counting will take place on December 3.
In the Chhattisgarh elections, which will encompass 90 assembly seats, both major parties, the BJP and Congress, have released their final lists of candidates. In the 2018 assembly elections, Congress secured a landslide victory by winning 68 of the 90 seats, while the then-ruling BJP obtained 15 seats.
