The Congress on Tuesday wrote to the Election Commission urging it to debar BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from campaigning for the Assam Assembly election for allegedly “threatening” its ally and Bodoland People's Front chief Hagrama Mohilary of sending him to jail.  The Congress further charged that by the said threats, Sarma has also attempted to influence the voters to not vote for the INC alliance, including Mohilary’s BPF.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of a rally, Sarma had said that Mohilary will be jailed if found to be “encouraging” former NDFB militant M Batha to return to the jungles.

In a three pages  letter to poll body, the Congress alleged, “We would like to draw this Hon'ble Commission's urgent attention towards senior BJP leader, Himanta Biswa Sarma's open public threats, who foreseeing the looming defeat of his party, has made blatant, scandalous and intimidating statements on 29.03.2021 wherein he has openly threatened his opponent party, INC alliance partner & Bodoland People's Front Chairperson Shri Hagrama Mohilary of sending him to jail by misusing the Central Agency - NIA which is under the direct administrative control of the BJP-led Central Government.”

The party further alleged that Sarma has said that the BJP will ensure that NIA investigates and implicates Mohilary and that he is sent to jail. It also accused Sarma of attempting to influence the voters to not vote for Congress’ alliance, including Mohilary’s party.

“Sarma has sought to cast a malicious and malafide impression on the public at large, that on account of the undue strength of the BJP led Central govemment manning the Central agencies, Sarma is in an undue position to control/ misuse the NIA and hence capable of sending Mohilary to jail. This is a clear message to the voters in order to influence them to not vote for INC alliance including the BPF by completely unconstitutional means and propaganda,” the letter read.

The Congress further said that the central investigative agencies are not the tools of the party in power at the Centre to be used for electoral gains. It also alleged that the BJP leader has been “terrorising its opponents of false implications, jail, curtailing personal liberty by misusing central Investigating agencies”.

The party also urged the EC to disqualify the candidature of Sarma from the Assembly elections and prohibit him from campaigning during the remaining election period in Assam. It also requested the poll panel to issue directions for the filing of a complaint against Sarma for violation of, “inter-alia, Sections 123(2)(a)(i), 123(4), 123(7) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 and Section 171C of the Indian Penal Code”.  Sarma is contesting the ongoing state elections on a BJP ticket from Jalukbari, that will vote in the final phase of the three-phase election, on April 6.