'Lungi' vs 'Godse's Revolver': BJP, Congress' New Jabs Before Assam Polls

The BJP and Congress' Assam units traded juvenile barbs - each declaring the other change its electoral symbol - before next month's panchayat election.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mocked the Congress' distribution of dhotis and suggested it pick a lungi as its symbol. The Congress responded by suggesting the BJP pick 'Godse's revolver' - a reference to Nathuram Godse assassinating Mahatma Gandhi.

The spat erupted after the Chief Minister claimed no development had taken place in the northeastern state when the Congress was in power between 2001 and 2016.

Addressing an election rally in Dhemaji on Monday, Mr Sarma said, "Ask the Congress... did you have free admission in colleges then? No. Was a fee required for Class X admission forms? Yes. Was there free rice... were the Dhemaji medical and engineering colleges built? No..."

"There was only lungi and dhoti. That is why I tell the Congress people they should change the symbol from the hand to lungi. Congress doesn't understand anything else..." he said, referring repeatedly to the 'lungi', a piece of cloth men in the northeast use to wrap around their waists.

In the region the 'lungi' is widely associated with Bengali-speaking Muslims, a community the BJP has claimed, in every election in the area, includes 'illegal immigrants' from Bangladesh.

Responding for the Congress, Bhupen Kumar Borah, the party's state unit boss, told reporters the opposition outfit considers all dresses equal, whether lungi, dhoti, pyjama, or trousers.

"The perspective of the Congress is inclusive. If the BJP thinks it can dictate our choice of symbol... let them answer, 'why is their own symbol a lotus?'. They should replace their symbol with the gun which Nathuram Godse used to assassinate Gandhi."

The panchayat polls in Assam will be held in two phases - May 2 and May 7.

Counting of votes will be held on May 11.

With input from agencies

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