With the 2026 Assembly elections drawing closer, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has released a 12-page “People’s Chargesheet” against the BJP government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The document, titled “People of Assam Vs BJP Govt. of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma (2021–2026)” makes serious allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement and betrayal of indigenous communities. The Congress says the charges are based on reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Reserve Bank of India (RBI) assessments and various media investigations.
At the centre of the chargesheet is what the Congress calls a “Syndicate Raj.” The document claims that since May 2021, a parallel economy worth around Rs 1,60,000 crore has been operating in the state with the protection of those in power. It alleges that key departments such as police, forest, transport and district administrations have been used to allow and protect illegal activities. These include rat-hole coal mining in areas like Umrangso, smuggling of Burmese supari, coal, drugs, timber, sand and livestock under what it describes as a “Goru Syndicate.” The Congress alleges that fixed commissions are collected at various checkpoints to ensure smooth illegal movement. It further claims that such practices violate the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Article 21 of the Constitution, arguing that public safety and environmental protection have been compromised.
The chargesheet also makes allegations of personal enrichment. It accuses the Chief Minister and his family of accumulating large illegal wealth invested in benami properties, real estate, luxury resorts, tea gardens, private schools, media houses and pharmaceutical ventures. It further claims that ministers’ families have purchased prime properties in Guwahati and other districts during this period. According to the document, major infrastructure projects, especially roads and bridges, have been awarded to five preferred contractors, leading to cartelisation and poor quality work despite repeated CAG observations. It cites the alleged Rs 18 crore irregularity in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation’s super sucker purchase as an example of tender manipulation. The Congress says that such practices undermine equality before law under Article 14 and distort democratic processes by allegedly using corrupt funds for electoral purposes. 
Financial management under the present government is another major focus of the document. The Congress states that Assam’s debt has crossed Rs 2 lakh crore and is projected to reach Rs 2.06 lakh crore by April 2026. It claims the debt-to-GSDP ratio is rising and interest payments are taking up a large portion of the state’s revenue. The chargesheet points to Rs 26,160.80 crore in pending utilisation certificates as mentioned in the CAG 2023–24 report. It alleges that instead of investing borrowed funds in productive sectors, loans are being used for what it calls “freebies” aimed at securing votes. The document says this amounts to misuse of public funds and creates a heavy financial burden for future generations.
The Congress has also accused the government of handing over large tracts of tribal land to corporate houses. It claims that 2,970 acres in Dima Hasao were allotted to Adani for a cement factory, 4,000 acres in Karbi Anglong to Reliance for a biogas project and 1,188 acres in Kokrajhar to Adani for a thermal power plant. It also refers to land given to Patanjali and others for oil palm and solar projects. According to the chargesheet, such decisions weaken Schedule VI protections and violate the right to livelihood and environment under Article 21. It alleges that many indigenous families have faced eviction and displacement.
On the political front, the document accuses the government of failing to fulfil key promises. It states that after spending Rs 1,600 crore on the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the process has been stalled, leaving 19 lakh excluded people without rejection slips. It also says Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord has not been implemented. Promises to grant Scheduled Tribe status to six communities such as Koch Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Moran, Motok, Chutia and Adivasi Tea Tribes remain unfulfilled, the chargesheet claims.
The Congress has also raised concerns about unemployment and social indicators. It cites CMIE 2024 data showing unemployment at 7 percent, with over 23 lakh people without jobs. It alleges that many youths are migrating outside Assam in search of work. In education, the document claims more than 9,000 schools have been closed, the secondary dropout rate stands at 20.3 percent, and teacher-student ratios range between 80 and 100 students per teacher. In healthcare, it states there are 4,500 doctor vacancies and 10,000 nurse vacancies, with maternal mortality rate at 195 and infant mortality rate at 32. It also alleges that several Ayushman Bharat hospitals have suspended services. Tea garden workers, numbering over 10 lakh, are still waiting for the promised Rs 351 daily wage, it says.
The chargesheet further highlights environmental and law-and-order concerns. It states that Assam lost 83.92 square kilometres of forest cover between 2021 and 2023 and mentions alleged illegal mining in Dehing Patkai and degradation of Deepor Beel. It claims around 3 lakh people are affected by drug addiction, with Rs 718 crore worth of drugs seized in 2023, and says 60 percent of HIV cases are linked to injecting drug use. Crimes against women and children, it states, reached 27,000 in 2023 with a conviction rate of 5 percent. Floods and erosion, which have claimed around 2,000 lives since 2016 and erode about 8,000 hectares annually have not been declared national disasters, the document alleges.
Finally, the Congress accuses the government of suppressing free speech, alleging that journalists have faced humiliation, threats and FIRs. It says this undermines Article 19 of the Constitution. The APCC has urged voters to respond through the ballot in the upcoming elections. With the release of this chargesheet, the political contest in Assam has clearly entered a more aggressive phase ahead of 2026.
