New Delhi: Tensions between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma boiled over again this week, with Gandhi publicly threatening to imprison Sarma if his party regains power at the center. Speaking at a rally in Assam on Wednesday, the opposition heavyweight didn’t mince words, declaring that Sarma would face jail time under a future Congress government. Sarma, never one to back down, fired back swiftly, reminding Gandhi of his own legal troubles—he’s out on bail in multiple criminal cases.
This isn’t just a fresh spat; it’s the latest chapter in a bitter rivalry that’s simmered for over a decade. The two men once stood shoulder to shoulder in the Congress party, but their paths diverged dramatically. Sarma, feeling sidelined, jumped ship to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2015, a move that catapulted him to the top of Assam’s political ladder in record time.
The rift traces back to 2015-2016, around the time of Assam’s assembly elections. Congress suffered a crushing defeat in 2016, but the seeds were sown a year earlier when Sarma bolted from the party. He had been a trusted aide to former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, essentially his right-hand man. But when Gogoi’s son, Gaurav, started rising through the ranks—with apparent backing from then-Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi—Sarma felt pushed aside. He saw himself as the natural number two in Assam Congress, yet Gandhi’s focus seemed fixed on Gaurav. Frustrated, Sarma decided to walk away.
What a turnaround it proved to be. Sarma didn’t just join the BJP; he powered their breakthrough in Assam, leading to a 2016 victory that opened doors for the party across India’s northeast. Whenever crises hit BJP governments in the region, Sarma was there, putting out fires and solidifying his stature. By 2021, his efforts paid off handsomely—he claimed the chief minister’s chair after another electoral win.
At the core of Sarma’s grudge? He felt ignored by Gandhi. In a 2016 interview, Sarma pulled no punches, blaming Congress’s woes on Gandhi’s leadership style. “Until Rahul changes himself, the party has no future even as a main opposition,” he said, calling Gandhi arrogant and describing their interactions as a demeaning “master-servant” dynamic. “Either he changes, or Congress changes him,” Sarma quipped sharply.
He even recounted a bizarre meeting at Gandhi’s residence before his defection. Accompanied by other Congress leaders like C.P. Joshi, Tarun Gogoi, and Assam unit chief Anjan Dutta, Sarma went to discuss internal party strife. But Gandhi’s pet dog, Pidi, stole the show—snatching biscuits and tea from the guests’ plates. Sarma claimed Gandhi didn’t bother replacing the snacks, leaving everyone stunned. This odd anecdote marked the start of their public barbs.
The “Pidi wars” didn’t end there. In 2017, when Gandhi jokingly credited Pidi for his tweets, Sarma shot back: “Who knows Pidi better than me? You were busy feeding him biscuits while we tried to talk about Assam issues.” The jab resurfaced in 2022, with Sarma tweeting that people who prioritize dogs over leaders in meetings shouldn’t lecture on political decorum.
Things escalated further when family entered the fray. During Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in January 2024, which passed through Assam, he targeted Sarma’s relatives, accusing the chief minister’s wife and children of corruption. “India’s most corrupt chief minister is in Assam—his entire family is involved,” Gandhi thundered at rallies. Sarma, who has two kids, was furious, especially over the attacks on his children. “Rahul used to fear me; now he fears my kids too,” he retorted.
The clash peaked on January 23, 2024, when Sarma ordered Assam’s police chief to file a case against Gandhi for allegedly inciting crowds to break barricades during the yatra.
Relations between the former Congress chief and the BJP strongman show no signs of thawing. Gandhi’s latest jail threat has only given Sarma more ammunition to hit back. As India’s political landscape heats up, expect this verbal duel to intensify—surprising no one who’s followed their saga.