With polling in Assam scheduled in just two days, the campaign has taken a sharply dramatic turn, with police action and personal barbs dominating headlines as a team of Assam Police landed Tuesday morning at the Delhi residence of Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera.
The visit comes amid an escalating face-off with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after Khera targeted the Chief Minister’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, at a press conference using colourful imagery reminiscent of the popular caper film Bunty Aur Babli while presenting what he described as documents relating to alleged foreign assets.
At that press conference, Khera launched a series of pointed attacks, saying: “Himanta Biswa Sarma’s entire politics is predicated on hatred against Muslims; yet, his wife holds passports from two Muslim countries?”
He further asked: “Are they making preparations to flee the country in the event of an electoral defeat?”
Khera also alleged non-disclosure of foreign assets, stating:
“Many people own properties abroad; however, when a spouse contests an election, these assets must be disclosed in their affidavit. Yet, there is no mention whatsoever of these two Dubai properties in Himanta Biswa Sarma’s affidavit.”
The allegations were firmly rejected by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, who announced legal action, saying: “I expected a spokesperson of a national party to exercise basic due diligence rather than circulate poorly fabricated images of imaginary passports and documents. I will now be letting the law take over. Criminal charges are being initiated. We can continue this in court.”
The Chief Minister responded with a sharp political counterattack as campaign rhetoric intensified.
“Today’s press conference by Pawan Khera reflects the deep frustration and panic within the Congress party. As Assam moves decisively towards a historic mandate, such desperate and baseless attacks only expose their sinking ground,” he said.
Escalating his rhetoric further, Sarma declared:“I categorically reject every allegation made by him. These are malicious, fabricated, and politically motivated lies aimed at misleading the people of Assam.”
In later remarks that added to the controversy, Sarma also said: “Rahul Gandhi is a madman and Pawan Khera is an even bigger madman. There will be action. Pawan Khera ka mein pawan Peda bana doonga. Usko mein peloonga. (I will beat Khera into a pulp).”
Tuesday’s police action added another dramatic layer to the confrontation. Assam Police, accompanied by Delhi Police, searched Khera’s Nizamuddin East residence but did not find him at home. Congress sources said Khera was in Hyderabad, prompting Sarma to allege: “He ran away from Guwahati yesterday… I have come to know through the media that the police have gone to his residence in Delhi, but he has run away to Hyderabad. The law will take its own course.”
After the search, an Assam Police officer said: “We did not find Pawan Khera. The house was searched. Some objectionable documents were recovered.”
The Congress has framed the police action as intimidation ahead of polling, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge criticising the move and questioning its timing.
With the clock ticking down to polling day, the Assam campaign has veered into a spectacle of accusations, police action and blistering rhetoric, turning the final stretch of the election into a high-stakes political showdown.
Published on April 7, 2026