Morigaon (Assam) [India], April 9 (ANI): Assam Minister and BJP candidate from Jagiroad Assembly constituency, Pijush Hazarika, on Thursday invoked the party's poll plank against illegal immigration and asserted that the people will not vote for Congress in the Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Jagiroad, Pijush Hazarika clarified that the party does not stand against Muslims in Assam, but rather is against illegal immigrants entering from Bangladesh.

He said, 'We are in support of Assami Muslims. Those who have come from Bangladesh illegally, we are against them. I would like to request people of Assam to please come forward to vote for development. The people of Assam are against the Bangladeshis, invaders, and illegal migrants, and that is why Congress will not get votes. More people are going to resign from the Congress party.'

Further, slamming Congress leader Pawan Khera over the fake passports allegation against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, Hazarika said, 'Pawan Khera is a useless person. His claims turned out to be false. There were spelling errors. One spelling was Sharma, and the other was Sarma. When we questioned him, he left Assam and ran away. If his allegations were true, he should have stayed in Assam.'

Khera had alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma owned three passports and the couple, along with their son, owns a business worth Rs 52,000 crore in the United States. Assam CM, however, had denied the claims.

Riniki Bhuyan Sharma had lodged an FIR against Khera, and the Assam Police carried out searches at his residence, after which the Congress leader approached the Telangana High Court seeking anticipatory bail.

Actor and wife Pijush Hazarika, Aimee Baruah, said, 'The people will vote for development. Pijush Hazarika will definitely win.'

'This is the fourth election of my husband, and I think the result will be good. The BJP will certainly form its government in Assam. As a daughter of Assam, I can say that the BJP is coming here,' she said.

Sitting MLA Pijush Hazarika is aiming to secure a third consecutive victory in Jagiroad, as he contests against Congress' Bubul Das.

In the 2021 election, BJP's Pijush Hazarika emerged victorious with 1,06,643 votes, accounting for 54 per cent of the total votes polled. He defeated Congress's Swapan Kumar Mandal, who won 77,239 votes.

The polling for the 2026 Assam Assembly elections is underway, and the counting of votes will take place on May 4. (ANI)