CM Expands Orunudoi to 40 lakh families, slams Congress for corruption and ‘lungi politics’
Guwahati, April 22: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a fiery offensive against the Congress party during a panchayat poll rally in Lakuwa’s Gomdhar Konwar playground, accusing it of decades of failure, corruption, and neglect of the poor.
“There are only two parties in Assam,” Sarma declared. “Congress ruled for 60 years. We’ve had just nine years—three of those during the pandemic. Yet in four years, we’ve done what Congress couldn’t in 75.”
Mocking Congress’s past welfare efforts, Sarma said, “Their only schemes were distributing lungis, dhotis, threads, blankets, and mosquito nets. People had to pay bribes even for mosquito nets. For Anganwadi and government jobs, bribes reached ₹1 crore.”
In a sharp jibe, he added, “If they love lungis so much, they should go distribute them in Bangladesh. Congress should replace the hand symbol with a lungi.”
Sarma announced that the flagship Orunudoi scheme will be expanded to cover 40 lakh families by July 15. Under the new phase, 5,000 additional families from each assembly constituency will receive ₹1,250 per month directly into their bank accounts.
“This isn’t about creating beneficiaries,” Sarma said, “It’s about standing with poor families when they need help most.”
He also highlighted new welfare benefits tied to ration cards and said college admissions can now be done using ration cards, with no need for Gaon Bura or Mouzadar certificates. Ration card holders will get free medical treatment up to ₹5 lakh at government hospitals. He also said from October 1, essential goods like dal and sugar will be ₹25 cheaper, and salt ₹10 cheaper than market prices.
The Chief Minister praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for key infrastructure and cultural projects in Assam like Bogibeel and Dhola–Sadiya bridges, the underwater tunnel from Gohpur to Numaligarh, 32-km elevated corridor over Kaziranga National Park in addition to global recognition for Charaideo Maidams, classical language status for Assamese and national stage for Bihu and Jhumur.
Taking a direct swipe at the Congress’s track record on corruption, Sarma claimed: “If I had stayed in Congress, I could’ve earned ₹1,500 crore by selling jobs. But under BJP, we’ve created 1.5 lakh jobs with zero bribes. Another 50,000 jobs will be added in October.”
Sarma reminded the crowd of the upcoming panchayat elections, followed by the assembly polls in 2026. “I complete five years as CM on May 10, 2026. In just four years, you’ve seen the difference. Compare that with Congress, which only created middlemen and stalled development.”
Due to adverse weather in Lakhimpur, Sarma couldn’t attend a scheduled rally there but addressed party workers over the phone.
The rally was attended by Union Minister Pabitra Margherita, MP Rameswar Teli, Transport Minister Jogen Mohan, and former MP Tapan Gogoi.
With sharp political punches and big-ticket welfare promises, CM Sarma’s Lakwa speech signals the BJP’s full-throttle start to its grassroots campaign — built around governance, delivery, and anti-Congress messaging.
