Congress Created Challenges, BJP Delivered Development: PM Modi In Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday strongly criticised the Indian National Congress, claiming it burdened Assam with persistent problems, while the Bharatiya Janata Party has worked to address those issues through development and governance. Addressing BJP booth-level workers in Guwahati ahead of the assembly elections, Modi said the contrast between the two parties’ approach to Assam was clear.

During his day-long visit to the poll-bound state, the Prime Minister inaugurated and reviewed several key projects, including an emergency landing facility (ELF) built on a national highway. He also spoke about the upcoming semiconductor facility at Jagiroad, saying Assam would soon gain recognition as a hub for advanced manufacturing and technology.

Modi said Assam is expected to receive nearly ₹50,000 crore this year as its share of central taxes, compared to around ₹10,000 crore during Congress rule. Over the past 11 years, he added, the state has received more than ₹5.5 lakh crore for development works. Questioning the opposition’s record, Modi asked whether a party that failed to adequately support Assam financially in the past could now claim to drive its growth.

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

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

The Prime Minister also paid tribute to the martyrs of the 2019 Pulwama terror attack on its anniversary, saying India’s response demonstrated its strength to the world. Referring to subsequent military actions, he argued that such decisive measures were absent during earlier Congress governments, which he accused of neglecting national security and being plagued by defence-related scams.

Modi further alleged that the Congress failed to safeguard the nation’s interests and stood with forces that undermine unity in the northeast. Highlighting infrastructure development, he said that while only three bridges over the Brahmaputra were built during decades of Congress rule, five new bridges have been completed in the past 11 years under the BJP-led government.

During the visit, Modi 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. He urged BJP workers to ensure the party’s return to power in Assam for a third consecutive term to continue the state’s development momentum.