With the Assam Assembly elections approaching, political tensions in the state are rising sharply. On February 12, a stone-pelting incident targeted the Congress party’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in Sootea, located in the Naduar constituency of Sonitpur district.
Senior Congress leaders, including APCC president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi, Ripun Bora, Debabrata Saikia and Rakibul Hussain, were on their way to a public rally when unidentified miscreants allegedly hurled stones at their convoy. Several vehicles were damaged and windscreens were broken, though no serious injuries were reported.
The Congress party immediately blamed ‘BJP-backed goons’ for the attack and lodged an FIR at the local police station. Party leaders alleged that the incident was a planned attempt to disrupt the yatra in an area where political competition is intensifying ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, expected to be held in March–April across 126 constituencies. Over the past few weeks, reports of clashes between rival political workers have emerged from several areas, including Biswanath and Tezpur indicating a rise in election-related tensions.
At the same time, another controversy has added to the political battle. On February 10, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged that certain Congress IT cell members were planning to stage an ink attack on Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi in order to gain public sympathy and blame the BJP. According to the Chief Minister, a whistleblower revealed the alleged plan, leading police to file preventive FIRs. Police summoned Suruj Pathak and Aadrita Das, said to be associated with the Congress IT cell, for questioning for the third consecutive day by February 12, while one alleged accomplice has already been taken into custody.
Addressing the media, Sarma said that Congress was attempting to “orchestrate incidents of violence involving its own leaders to garner public sympathy ahead of the polls.” Congress leaders, however, strongly rejected the allegations and accused the BJP of spreading misinformation to divert attention from attacks on opposition workers.
Responding to the controversy, Gaurav Gogoi said he was not afraid of attacks but warned against attempts to divide society through communal politics. He said that attacks on Congress workers and ordinary citizens would not be tolerated and urged authorities to ensure peaceful elections.
The political exchange has further intensified after a February 8 controversy involving alleged AI-generated videos, leading to sharp accusations from both sides. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has continued preparations for the upcoming polls, with the latest voter roll revision adding 5.86 lakh new voters and removing 2.43 lakh names.
With elections only weeks away and a large section of voters belonging to minority communities, maintaining law and order in the state will be crucial. The coming weeks are expected to witness intense campaigning as both the BJP and the Congress prepare for a closely watched electoral contest in Assam.
