Cash, cops, and coercion: Assam Congress slams BJP over Panchayat poll ‘misconduct’, demands clean vote count

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 9, 2025

Accusing the BJP of turning Assam’s panchayat elections into a “muscle-flexing match,” the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has demanded that the State Election Commission (SEC) ensure a clean and transparent vote count.

The counting of ballots for Panchayat poll will be held on May 11.

A Congress delegation met with State Election Commissioner Alik Kumar on Friday, warning against any bias during counting. “We submitted a memorandum demanding strict neutrality,” APCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah told reporters. “The government delayed the polls for months. We even decided to approach the Gauhati High Court. But once elections were announced, we fully cooperated and contested across the state.”

Borah didn’t hold back in his criticism of the ruling BJP. “Leaders like Lakhimpur MP Pradan Baruah, Jonai MLA Bhuban Pegu, Naduar MLA Padma Hazarika, and Minister Ashok Singhal have misused power blatantly,” he said. “In Barak Valley and Nagaon too, BJP MLAs and local leaders are allegedly distributing cash, using the police, and intimidating voters.”

He said this wasn’t just local-level mischief but a full-blown “Tripura-Bihar style” playbook of poll manipulation. “Nomination phase saw muscle power. Voting saw state machinery used to suppress opposition. BJP MPs and MLAs have even encouraged violence against Congress workers. Assam hasn’t seen such panchayat poll terror before.”

The APCC urged the SEC to enforce the same rules for all parties. “No dual justice—one for BJP, another for Congress. We won’t tolerate that,” Borah asserted. “The SEC assured us of fair play. If they stay true to their word, we’ll cooperate. But if they lean toward the ruling party, we’ll launch a democratic protest.”

The Congress delegation included MLAs Nandita Das and Subhan Ali Sarkar, APCC vice president Naba Talukdar, general secretaries Bipul Gogoi and Rajesh Joshi, Guwahati City DCC president Gopal Chandra Sarma, and party spokesperson Surjya Das.