Sarma: Pulling Riniki, Zubeen into politics led to Cong’s doom

Guwahati: Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said Congress’s attempt to politicise Zubeen Garg’s death led the singer’s fans to stay away from supporting the party, adding that Pawan Khera dragging his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma in controversy led to Gaurav Gogoi’s “crushing” defeat.


“No political party should bring music maestro Bhupen Hazarika or Zubeen Garg into election manifestos. Congress does not have leaders who can guide them. There is a big photograph of Zubeen Garg at Congress’s Manabendra Sarma complex. They should have kept the photographs of former CM Tarun Gogoi, Hiteswar Saikia and the first CM Gopinath Bordoloi as they were in politics,” he added.


“The issue was that Congress sought votes in the name of Zubeen as they did not have support. It is not that Zubeen followers will vote for them just because they asked. It was a cheap political tactic Congress indulged in,” Sarma said.


Sarma added that Congress leader Pawan Khera’s Apr 6 press conference, where he accused Riniki Bhuyan Sharma of holding multiple passports and having assets in foreign nations, was the reason why Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi faced a severe defeat in his debut assembly election contest from Jorhat.


“Otherwise, Gaurav would not have faced such a humiliating defeat. Usually, people of Assam do not like it if someone outside the state comes and talks about the daughters of Assam. People of West Bengal would not have liked me if I had indulged in personal attacks on Mamata Banerjee,” he added.


On senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia losing from Nazira seat, Sarma said Hindu leaders of Congress, including Saikia, will join the BJP in the next five years.
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