Crushing Defeat For Rahul Gandhi's Politics: Assam CM On BJP's Bypoll Win

(MENAFN- IANS) Guwahati, Oct 9 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday described the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s victory in the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election as a“crushing defeat” for Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of pursuing politics that weakens the country and its cultural identity.

Addressing reporters in Guwahati after the results were announced, Sarma said the electorate had sent a message to the Congress leader that the nation was above any individual politician.

“It is a crushing defeat for Rahul Gandhi. It is a crushing defeat for his politics,” Sarma said, adding that LoP Rahul Gandhi should not indulge in“drama” or politics that would weaken the nation, its culture and the country.

Accusing LoP Rahul Gandhi of joining hands with forces opposed to India's progress, the Chief Minister said the people of Assam had delivered a political message through their mandate.

“India is above you, the nation is above you. You are not above the nation. This is the message of this election to Rahul Gandhi,” he said.

The BJP's Debasish Sharma won the Nagaon by-election by a margin of 1,40,257 votes, according to Election Commission of India (ECI) data.

Sharma secured 7,11,912 votes, while All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) candidate Badruddin Ajmal finished second with 5,71,637 votes.

Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora came third with 1,29,136 votes.

The result marks the BJP's return to the constituency, which the Congress had won in the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Sarma said the BJP had secured nearly 50 per cent of the popular vote and claimed that the party had expanded its support beyond its traditional voter base, including among sections of the religious minority electorate.

The Chief Minister also asserted that the outcome reflected public support for the BJP's development agenda in Assam.

The Nagaon result is politically significant for the BJP, which has regained a constituency previously held by the Congress in two consecutive general elections.

Sarma said the victory demonstrated that voters had rejected the opposition's political approach.

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