Guwahati, April 1: Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera launched a sharp offensive against the BJP-led Assam government on Wednesday, comparing the ruling administration to the fictional con artists in the film ‘Bunty aur Babli.’ Addressing a press conference ahead of the April 9 polls, Khera accused the government of “conning” the people for over a decade while using polarizing tactics to distract from systemic failures and skyrocketing personal wealth among party leaders.

Khera presented data alleging a massive disparity in the assets of BJP ministers and their families. Citing election affidavits, he claimed the wealth of Cabinet Minister Kaushik Rai’s wife grew by 2,281%, while the spouse of MLA Diganta Kalita saw an increase of 3,185%. He argued that these figures, coupled with allegations of the Chief Minister’s family grabbing 12,000 bighas of land, pointed to a government focused on self-enrichment rather than public welfare.

The AICC spokesperson also criticized the BJP’s “seven lies” of the last decade, specifically highlighting the party’s failure to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six indigenous communities, a promise notably absent from their current manifesto. On the issue of illegal migration, Khera noted that deportations under the BJP have been significantly lower than during the Congress-led UPA era, accusing the ruling party of raising the “Bangladeshi issue” solely for electoral gain.

Turning to cultural grievances, Khera stood firm on the Congress’s pledge to seek justice for the late singer Zubeen Garg, who died in Singapore in September 2025. Dismissing accusations of politicization, Khera questioned the “mysterious” circumstances and what he termed a “weak chargesheet” in the case. Highlighting the closure of 8,000 government schools and a critical shortage of doctors, Khera concluded that the election is a choice between an “honest Congress” and “cowardly” defectors, predicting a victory for the “real Congress” on May 4.