Broken the Muslim Vote 50:50, Shattered It: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma to Arnab

New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was in conversation with Republic Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in an exclusive interaction on Nation Wants to Know on Friday. In an important interview amidst the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader expressed supreme confidence of his party winning the elections, even in the south and in his home state of Assam with Muslim voters.

Himanta Biswa Sarma recently said, “If Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress president) wants to join the BJP, I will escort him to join the BJP.” Arnab said that Himanta Biswa Sarma has lambasted this narrative of Muslim appeasement and left the charge on one thing alone - executing a development model set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, executed in the states.

Arnab started out by asking Sarma as to why the voter turnout is low during the ongoing General Elections 2024.

Why is voter turnout low during Lok Sabha Elections?

Himanta Biswa Sarma replied, “Voting has come down. Those voters are of Congress and it is against them that the BJP voters have voted. We are getting a huge turnout. We are winning all 10 seats. Congress mobilisation is not there. BJP can be responsible for up to 60% of the voters. If there is less voter turnout, it is 40% that belong to the Opposition. In Tamil Nadu, if AIADMK, DMK and Congress supporters have not turned out, how am I responsible for it?”

Why BJP will get 12 out of 15 seats in Assam and with the help of Muslim vote

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma went on to explain why Assam is seeing an interesting phenomenon vis-à-vis the Muslim vote. Assam has a very big Muslim population, and it is turning towards the BJP. “Assam is seeing an interesting phenomenon. Muslim people of the deprived classes joining in my rally are much more than the traditional party members. I have broken the Muslim vote 50:50. Shattered it down the middle,” said the Assam CM.

“In Assam, 36% are Muslim voters, 4% are Christian voters. But there is a huge shift. Muslims in large numbers have come out in BJP rallies. And they are openly voting for BJP. There should be a caste census for Muslims, too. Muslim communities are demanding a caste census. When Modi ji will be the Prime Minister (for the third time), there will be more demand for the caste census among the Muslim community. BJP’s voting increased by 35% in Lok Sabha Elections 2024,” said Sarma.

On the Congress and Sharia law

Further talking about the Muslim community, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Congress is completely anti-Hindu, I must say. The basis of Muslim Personal Law is Shariat. The Congress says it will not let the Uniform Civil Code come into place, connecting it with the Muslim Personal Law. Will you allow three marriages in the community? We won't allow Sharia law in India."

‘Congress suffered internal sabotage in Karnataka’

When Arnab asked Himanta Biswa Sarma whether the BJP would lose seats in Karnataka, he said, “After the Neha (Hiremath) murder and Muslim reservation, the Congress scored self-goals. Congress won't win seats in Karnataka. (Karnataka Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah or (Deputy CM) DK Shivakumar sabotaged the Lok Sabha Elections for the Congress from within.

‘Rahul Gandhi, a projected candidate’

Sarma went on to add that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is a “projected candidate for the INDI Alliance”. The Assam CM further made a big claim, saying, “Congress will get below 40 seats. Nobody is going to vote for the Congress this election.”