CM Sarma promises 2 lakh jobs, co-district push in Barak Valley campaign

Silchar, April 3: In an aggressive multi-constituency campaign across Barak Valley, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma sharpened the BJP’s electoral pitch, urging voters to reject both the Congress and independent candidates to ensure what he termed “unabated development” in the region.

Addressing rallies in Dholai, Katigorah and Borkhola on Friday, Sarma framed each vote for the BJP as a direct endorsement of both the state and central leadership.

“Every vote for BJP will strengthen my hands and that of Narendra Modi to work for the people of Barak Valley,” he said, repeatedly cautioning that a fragmented mandate could stall development momentum.

At the centre of his campaign is a renewed and expanded employment promise. Sarma announced that his government would provide two lakh jobs if re-elected, building on the one lakh jobs already delivered.

He outlined a structured distribution plan of around 25,000 posts in police and commando forces, 75,000 teaching positions, and the remainder across Grade III, Grade IV and technical sectors.

Importantly, he also promised a special recruitment drive for Bengali and Hindi medium schools, addressing long-standing teacher shortages in the linguistically sensitive Barak Valley.

Linking welfare with upward mobility, the Chief Minister further pledged that the government would bear the cost of higher education for students from economically weaker sections.

The move, positioned as both social support and workforce development, drew strong responses from young voters and parents.

Administrative restructuring and infrastructure expansion formed the second pillar of the BJP’s outreach. Sarma announced that Katigorah would be upgraded to a co-district by August 15, alongside granting municipal status to Kalain.

In Dholai, he reiterated plans to upgrade the Silchar–Dholai–Hailakandi road into a National Highway with Central support, highlighting connectivity as a key driver of regional economic growth.

In Borkhola, Sarma combined development assurances with sharp political attacks.

He promised a bridge at Rajnagar, a stadium, and a college in the Tapang area, along with financial assistance for the historic Barambaba temple. He also alleged that the constituency had lagged due to Congress representation between 2021 and 2025.

Throughout his speeches, Sarma consistently warned against vote division, particularly targeting independent candidates.

“If votes split, it will benefit Congress,” he said, making electoral consolidation a central theme of his campaign.

With voting scheduled for April 9, Barak Valley is witnessing a tightly contested political battle.