Congress Left Assam With Challenges, BJP Delivered Answers: PM Modi In Poll-Bound State

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Indian National Congress, asserting that the party burdened Assam with long-standing issues, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has worked to provide concrete solutions. Addressing BJP booth-level workers in Guwahati ahead of the state assembly elections, Modi said governance under the BJP marked a clear shift from neglect to development.

During his day-long visit, the Prime Minister inaugurated multiple infrastructure projects and highlighted the launch of an emergency landing facility (ELF) on a national highway. He also referred to the upcoming semiconductor facility at Jagiroad, saying Assam would soon gain national recognition for advanced manufacturing and technology.

Modi said the state is set to receive nearly ₹50,000 crore this year as its share of central taxes, compared to around ₹10,000 crore during the Congress-led years. Over the last 11 years, he added, Assam has received more than ₹5.5 lakh crore for development. Questioning the Congress’s record, he asked whether a party that failed to adequately fund the state could now claim the ability to develop it.

Earlier in the day, Modi inaugurated the northeast’s first ELF, designed in coordination with the Indian Air Force. An IAF C-130J Super Hercules aircraft carrying the Prime Minister landed on a highway bypass at Moran in Dibrugarh district, marking a milestone for regional infrastructure. The facility, located roughly 300 km from the Line of Actual Control with China, is intended to support emergency response, disaster relief, and strategic operations, with the capability to handle both fighter and transport aircraft.

Calling the landing historic for the northeast, Modi said the region was once associated with poor connectivity, but now symbolises modern infrastructure and strategic preparedness. He added that the ELF reflects India’s focus on strengthening national security and its ability to respond decisively to threats.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to the martyrs of the 2019 Pulwama terror attack on its anniversary and referred to subsequent military actions, saying India’s resolve and strength were visible to the world. He argued that such decisive responses were missing during earlier Congress governments, which he accused of neglecting national security and being marred by defence-related scams.

Modi further accused the Congress of supporting forces that undermine national unity and weaken the northeast. Highlighting infrastructure growth, he said that while only three bridges over the Brahmaputra were built in several decades under Congress rule, five new bridges have come up in the last 11 years under the BJP-led government.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated a bridge over the Brahmaputra, a data centre, and a transit campus of the Indian Institute of Management Guwahati, besides flagging off 225 electric buses. Urging party workers to mobilise support, Modi said the BJP must return to power in Assam for a third consecutive term to continue the state’s development trajectory.