Cong trying to delegitimise Assam’s delimitationby terming it ‘gerrymandering’: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday accused the Congress of attempting to “delegitimise” the delimitation process carried out in the state in 2023, and asserted that the redrawing of constituencies was to “prevent our civilisation from being devoured by illegal migration”. He maintained that the process was for “restoring balance and safeguarding indigenous Assamese representation”.
The CM’s reaction came after questions were raised on the redrawn constituencies, based on which the 2024 Lok Sabha and the recent April 9 Assembly elections were held, alleging that the exercise was carried out to suit the ruling dispensation. “Gerrymandering – Congress’ ill informed Cabal has been excessively using this term to delegitimise Assam’s delimitation exercise and, in turn, misinform the nation. Don’t fall for their propaganda,” Sarma said in a post on X.
The term ‘gerrymandering’ has its origins in the US and is defined by the Britannica as “a practice of drawing the boundaries of electoral districts in a way that gives one political party an advantage over its rivals (political or partisan gerrymandering) or that dilutes the voting power of members of racial or ethnic minority groups (racial gerrymandering)”.
Sarma maintained that Assam’s delimitation was not a conspiracy, but a “long overdue correction after decades of political neglect and vote-bank appeasement”. “It, in fact, reflects the aspirations of the people of Assam and is yet only a stopgap arrangement to prevent our civilisation from being devoured by illegal migration,” he said.
He said that for years, especially in Lower Assam region, “unchecked demographic changes reshaped constituencies while Congress and its ecosystem chose silence because it suited their electoral interests”.
The real distortion of representation happened then, not now, the chief minister claimed.
He maintained that when boundaries are being realigned to reflect ground realities, the same Congress leaders, backed by the Left ecosystem, are crying “gerrymandering”.
“That argument is not just weak, it is outright hypocritical. They are not defending democracy; they are defending a system that benefited them politically,” he added.
Sarma said delimitation was about restoring balance and safeguarding indigenous Assamese representation.
It ensured that those rooted in the land, its culture, language, and identity, are not politically sidelined in their own state, he claimed.
“The truth is simple: those opposing this exercise are uncomfortable because it challenges the very imbalance they once exploited and pushed Assam to the perils!” Sarma added.