‘Focus on resolving real issues…. please don’t take victory for granted’: Pune’s Assamese community
For Assamese living outside the state, the results were followed closely.
"I couldn't vote, but I was sure the BJP would come to power. Himanta Biswa Sarma is known for getting things done and fixing problems. People call him 'Mama' in Assam,", said Jagriti Goswal. (Photo Credits: PTI) Written by Diksha Banik and Tanushka Rathore
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance has returned to power in Assam with a decisive mandate, in the 126-member state Assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 64.
For Assamese living outside the state, the results were followed closely. Jagriti Goswal, originally from Assam and currently residing in Pune, said she had little doubt about the outcome. “I couldn’t vote, but I was sure the BJP would come to power. Himanta Biswa Sarma is known for getting things done and fixing problems. People call him ‘Mama’ in Assam,” she said.
Mousumi Bora, another Pune-based Assamese, reflected the mood at home. “There is an environment of celebration in Assam on the BJP’s win. I expect the new government to improve the infrastructure in Assam, as the state has rich natural resources that aren’t being utilised effectively. The government is not empowering people from Assam to work with these resources. Hopefully, the new government does that,” she said.
The sentiment around infrastructure and employment was echoed strongly by members of ASOMI, the Assamese Society of Maharashtra, based in Pune. Its president, Rajib Borkataki, welcomed the verdict and was direct about what it signals. “This will help move the Bangladeshi immigrants out of Assam, who have been the vote bank of Congress. With BJP in power, it is easier to coordinate and get good schemes from the central government as it is the same party, and we can already see the major infrastructure development happening in Assam and the Northeast,” he said.
On employment, however, Borkataki flagged a concern that has persisted across governments. “There is still much to happen in terms of companies setting up in Assam for the employment of youth,” he said, adding a pointed warning about welfare dependency. “Hope the freebies will stop, else an entire generation will stop working and developing their skills.”
He also raised the specific needs of the Assamese diaspora in Pune, noting the absence of direct flight or train connectivity between Pune and Guwahati, and the long-pending establishment of an Assam Bhavan in the city. “This was passed in 2015 by the same government, but no action has happened,” he said. His message to the incoming government was unambiguous. “The people of Assam have given you another chance and maybe one last chance. Focus on resolving real issues and real development. Please don’t take the victory for granted.”
Dipankar Rabha, General Secretary of ASOMI, struck a similarly expectant tone. “Elections are the people’s opportunity to express how they want to see the next government,” he said. His priorities for the new government centred on employment, education, and industrialisation. “Skilled engineers, doctors, and professionals have to migrate outside, which directly affects the state’s GDP,” he noted, calling for stronger infrastructure and flood management as immediate areas of attention. His message to the new government: prioritise industrialisation and skill development so that Assam’s workforce no longer needs to leave the state to find opportunity.
Share
