'Rahul Gandhi may end up in jail', says Assam CM

Guwahati, July 17 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday escalated his war of words with the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and responded sharply to the latter’s recent claims that he (Biswa) would be sent to jail.

Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister dismissed the remarks as “politically motivated” and accused LoP Rahul Gandhi of ignoring real issues concerning Assam.

“If this continues, Rahul Gandhi himself may end up in jail,” Sarma said, referencing the Enforcement Directorate’s recent seizure of properties allegedly linked to LoP Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law, Robert Vadra.

“There are many jails in India that seem to be waiting for the Gandhis,” he added, in a pointed retort to LoP Rahul Gandhi’s earlier comments.

Taking a dig at LoP Rahul Gandhi’s political clout, Sarma questioned the Congress leader’s assertion that he would have him arrested.

“He’s just a Member of Parliament, and he claims he’ll arrest a Chief Minister? This is absurd,” Sarma said. “People inside jail can’t arrest people outside. Let’s see what happens if he ends up there himself.”

The Chief Minister also criticised the Congress party for lacking a substantive agenda for Assam, alleging that its only focus is targeting him personally.

“They don’t talk about jobs, land rights, or our culture,” he said. “Their only slogan is to put Himanta Biswa Sarma in jail. Who will vote for a party with just one manufactured line?”

Earlier, Sarma responded to LoP Rahul Gandhi’s sharp criticism during his visit to the state, suggesting that the Congress leader had inadvertently elevated his political stature.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister remarked that LoP Rahul Gandhi seemed to have focused solely on him throughout his visit.

The Assam CM’s X post mentioned, “I must say, I am grateful—because today, he has elevated my political stature to a level I might never have reached had I remained in the Congress party.”

“He mentioned my name repeatedly in all his meetings,” the Chief Minister wrote, adding that such attention from the Leader of the Opposition was a matter of "great satisfaction."

Taking a swipe at his former party, Sarma, who defected from the Congress to join the BJP in 2015, said that the recognition he now enjoys would not have been possible had he remained with the Congress.

LoP Rahul Gandhi had launched a scathing attack on Himanta Biswa Sarma during his visit to Assam on Wednesday, accusing him of corruption and vowing that the Chief Minister would eventually land in jail.

Addressing a meeting of party workers in Chaygaon, about 40 km from Guwahati, LoP Rahul Gandhi said Sarma behaves like a "raja" but is “gripped with fear” and will be held accountable for his actions.

--IANS

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