The Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll campaign ended not with a policy debate, but with a bizarre culinary argument. On Sunday, the final day of campaigning, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Rakibul Hussain traded sharp, food-centric insults that dominated the political discourse in Assam. The exchange, which involved references to biryani, pulao, and dry fish, turned the final rally into a spectacle that far outshone typical electoral rhetoric.
Sarma initiated the verbal combat at an election rally, comparing Hussain to 'Bakasura,' the mythological monster known for his insatiable appetite. The Chief Minister alleged that Hussain consumes meat and pulao multiple times a day and accused him of 'digesting' money allocated for government welfare schemes. It was a direct attack on the sitting MP’s character, framing his lifestyle as incompatible with public service.
Hussain didn't let the jab slide. Responding with sarcasm, he claimed divine right to his dietary habits. "God sent me into this world to eat biryani and Allah made me wealthy when I was born," Hussain declared, turning the insult into a badge of honor. He further mocked Sarma’s alleged preference for 'kata biscuit' (rusk), suggesting that those who survive on such simple food cannot comprehend the difference between pulao and biryani. He even joked that while normal infants drink their mother’s milk, he was born eating chicken biryani.
Sarma escalated the feud later that day, directly addressing the 'born eating biryani' claim. "Those who are born to drink their mother’s milk are human beings, and those born to eat biryani are animals," the Chief Minister stated, drawing loud cheers from his supporters. The controversy soon drew in AIUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, who joined the fray by claiming Hussain was actually "born eating dry fish." Ajmal, who is contesting the seat after losing the Dhubri Lok Sabha election by a record margin of over 10 lakh votes, also questioned Hussain’s wealth claim, asking, "He was a poor man. Where would he get biryani from?"
This three-way verbal sparring has become the central flashpoint of the campaign, overshadowing the actual political stakes. The Nagaon seat became vacant earlier this year when former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned to join the BJP. The current contest features BJP’s Devasish Sharma, former Nagaon Deputy Commissioner; Congress’ Sibamoni Bora, former Batadrava MLA; and AIUDF’s Badruddin Ajmal. With voting scheduled for October 6, the electorate must now decide whether to punish the candidates for their crude rhetoric or focus on the broader political realignment in Assam.