Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday led a massive show of strength in Nalbari as his BJP-AGP alliance candidate, Jayanta Malla Baruah, filed his nomination for the upcoming polls.
Nearly 50,000 supporters marched from Gordon Field to the Deputy Commissioner's office. Amid chants of “Himanta-Jayanta Zindabad,” the rally signalled a high-decibel start to what is expected to be a fiercely contested battle.
Addressing the crowd, Baruah expressed confidence in a sweep. He said, “Today, I filed my nomination, and the response was extremely enthusiastic. A large number of supporters came out in my favour and participated in the rally. Approximately 50,000 people gathered at the venue. The overwhelming support and blessings from the people give me confidence that I will secure victory in the upcoming election and continue to serve the constituency.”
Congress candidate Ashok Kumar Sarma is also staging a massive rally while filing his nomination. Notably, Ashok Sarma had earlier been elected as a BJP MLA in 2016 before switching allegiance to the Congress, adding a layer of political intrigue to the contest.
Dismissing his opponent's influence, Baruah characterised Sarma as lacking grassroots depth. "He was elected in 2016 on a BJP ticket... it was the BJP workers who worked hard to ensure his victory," Baruah said. "He will not be a decisive factor in this election."
Baruah also addressed the impact of the recent delimitation process on Nalbari's nearly two lakh voters. While acknowledging that about 50,000 belong to minority communities, he argued the demographic shift favours the alliance.
"The positive aspect is that only a small section comprises immigrant minorities, while the majority are indigenous. Indigenous minority voters and Hindu voters will largely support me," he claimed, adding that he expects to surpass his previous record of 1.06 lakh votes.
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