Guwahati, May 5: The Congress party in Assam is facing an unprecedented public backlash during the ongoing panchayat election campaign, with senior leaders being driven out of villages and even boycotted in their home constituencies, claimed Assam unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday.

“Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah, who failed to hold a single successful rally in his home constituency Ronganodi during the first phase of the panchayat poll on May 2, faced visible rejection. Even residents of Bhogpur, his home panchayat, boycotted campaign events. Despite press briefings in Guwahati’s hotels, Borah could not muster support on the ground,” Assam BJP spokesperson Ranjib Kumar Sharma said in a statement here on Sunday.

“In a similar blow, senior Congress MLA Bharat Narah remained absent from the campaign trail in his Nowboicha constituency. Meanwhile, in Nazira—a historic Congress bastion—Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia saw dismal attendance at rallies, signalling a loss of grip in his core region,” Sharma said.

He said sources indicate that widespread resentment has blocked Congress leaders from entering indigenous villages during the first phase. Fear of public fury forced the party to scale back its campaign across multiple districts. Even when MP Gaurav Gogoi joined events, rallies remained underwhelming and sparsely attended. In Nalbari, black flags were waved at Gogoi, with protestors labelling him a “Pakistani agent,” while residents of Mahiyan Patbausi boycotted his event entirely.

He also said the crisis deepens in minority-dominated regions, once seen as a secure ground for Congress. Allegations of ticket selling have emerged against Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain and Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi. Bordoloi’s repeated religious slogans, including “Inshallah,” have also drawn sharp criticism. Members of the Sanatan community accused him of ignoring their issues while pandering selectively to religious sentiment.

BJP has seized the momentum. With the first voting phase complete, the party has ramped up its outreach, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, state president Dilip Saikia, and Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita. On Sunday, Sarma addressed two large rallies in Kahikuchi and Palashbari. Dilip Saikia is scheduled to campaign across Goalpara and Kamrup, while Sonowal is covering key areas in Sarukshetri.
Sharma said, “Congress is being rejected by the people of Assam, from indigenous villages to minority belts. The public has seen through their opportunism.”

The second phase of elections may prove even more critical, as the BJP rides a strong pro-incumbency wave while Congress struggles to contain internal dissent and voter anger.

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