Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clearly said that voting in the state does not depend only on government schemes or financial assistance. According to him, there are many communities in Assam whose political preferences do not change due to money or facilities.

When he was asked in a private TV channel program whether he could bring a scheme to provide cash assistance to women like in Bihar, he rejected the idea. Sarma said that some communities of Assam appreciate his work but do not come to his side at the time of voting. He said that voting trends in the state are influenced by ideology rather than government schemes or financial incentives. No matter how much money is given, be it Rs 10,000 or Rs 1 lakh, no Muslim voter will choose him as their candidate.

Votes are decided not by plans, but by ideas

The Chief Minister’s argument was that in any democracy, voters do not vote only after seeing benefits. He said that it is the responsibility of the government to run the schemes, but it is not right to assume that every citizen who gets benefits will vote for the same government. According to Sarma, many sections in Assam vote on the basis of their ideological thinking, identity and political beliefs.

Concern over demographic change in Assam

During the discussion, Sarma also expressed concern about the rapidly changing population in the state. He said that the illegal migration that has continued over the years has affected the demographic balance. Sarma said that the Muslim population of Assam was about 38% in 2021. Since 1961, a continuous growth of 4–5% has been recorded every decade. By 2027 this ratio may reach 40%. The Chief Minister says that if this percentage crosses 50% then the identity and cultural heritage of other communities of the state may come under pressure.

Relationships are good but votes are not available

Sarma said that he has a good personal relationship with the women of Miya community and many Muslim families, but at the time of elections this practical connection does not translate into votes. He also said that even if Muslim votes go with Congress, BJP is still able to maintain its political position in Assam. In the end, the Chief Minister said that only those people in Assam can be called their own, who connect themselves with Assamese and Indian identity.

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