At a press conference in Guwahati on Monday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed Rahul Gandhi for accusing the Election Commission of bias, and he issued a direct challenge to the opposition to conduct a ballot‑paper election to verify its claims about electronic voting machines.
Sarma pointed to the recent Nagaon by‑poll, where he said Congress failed to station polling agents at nearly 70 per cent of polling booths, citing the party’s struggle to recruit volunteers willing to perform the role.
He also criticised a meeting between Gandhi and around 200 government officials, arguing that the gathering did not indicate widespread bureaucratic support for the party and warned that political pressure should not undermine the Election Commission or the Supreme Court.
Sarma stressed that electoral disputes must be settled through constitutional and legal means, demanding that the Election Commission carry out a special intensive revision of the voter rolls to remove ineligible names and protect the integrity of elections.
In response, the Assam BJP announced a series of peaceful district‑headquarters marches to defend democratic institutions, while Sarma urged Congress to introspect on its electoral setbacks rather than blaming the commission.
The CM’s ultimatum is expected to prompt an official reply from the Election Commission and could force a ballot‑paper test in Assam, a move that would put the party’s electoral machinery under scrutiny.