Guwahati: At a public gathering in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma unintentionally referred to Amit Shah as “Prime Minister,” giving the opposition Congress ammunition to attack the ruling party.
Although a senior BJP leader claimed it was a mistake of the tongue, the Congress has shared the video and raised doubts about whether the ruling party has chosen its “next Prime Minister.”
Rupam Goswami, a BJP spokesperson, dismissed the Congress’s attack as coming from a party with no serious causes to combat.
“The Congress has lost all of its support in Assam and has no actual concerns with which to oppose the BJP politically, so it is attempting to raise a non-issue. This was an unintentional slip of the tongue, which can happen to anyone “On the phone, Rupam Goswami said to NDTV.
Mr Sarma addressed a throng of hundreds seated under a huge tent in Assamese, welcoming “Prime Minister Amit Shah” and “Home Minister Narendra Modi” – an evident mix-up.
Mr Sarma calling Amit Shah “Prime Minister” was an intentional act, according to the Assam Congress, which drew comparisons with an Assam MP who used to call Mr Sarma “Chief Minister” while Sarbananda Sonowal was the Chief Minister. Mr Sarma was a minister in the Assam government at the time.
After the BJP won the Assam elections again, Mr Sarma was elected Chief Minister.
“When Sri Sarbananda Sonowal Ji was the Chief Minister of Assam, Tezpur MP Sri Pallab Lochan Das had on several occasions referred to Cabinet Minister Sri Himanta Biswa Sarma Ji as the Chief Minister of Assam in public! Is the incumbent CM doing a Das? Has BJP decided on its next PM?” the Congress said in its Facebook post.
“Or a campaign has been launched to promote Amit Shah Ji as the PM replacing Narendra Modi Ji? Going by Das’ example, it doesn’t appear to be a slip of tongue?” the Assam Congress said on the Facebook post.
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