Guwahati: A fresh political row has erupted in Assam just weeks before the Assembly elections, with the Congress party accusing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife, Riniki Sarma, of serious irregularities involving nationality, passports, and foreign holdings.
On Sunday, April 5, 2026, Congress leader Pawan Khera addressed a press conference and claimed that Riniki Sarma possesses valid passports from three countries, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and Antigua and Barbuda. He further alleged that she owns properties in Dubai and a company registered in Wyoming, United States, with a proposed budget of USD 34.67 billion that includes plans to venture into the hotel industry.
Khera questioned whether Riniki Sarma holds Indian citizenship, pointing out that India does not allow dual citizenship. He alleged that these foreign assets and passports were not disclosed in Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s election affidavit, raising concerns about possible violations of electoral laws. The Congress demanded a thorough probe, the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), and intervention by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Khera also called for the arrest and disqualification of Himanta Biswa Sarma from the upcoming elections.
Busting Congress’ propaganda — serious discrepancies exposed.
The documents being circulated show multiple glaring inconsistencies, suggesting a crude and poorly executed attempt at digital manipulation:
1️⃣ Surname mismatch — “SARMA” used instead of the official “SHARMA”
2️⃣… https://t.co/rZ1Xrp6i4g— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 5, 2026
In response, Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as “malicious, fabricated, and politically motivated.” He announced that both he and his wife would file criminal and civil defamation suits against Pawan Khera within 48 hours. Sarma accused the Congress of running a “desperate and baseless” campaign to mislead the people of Assam. On social media platform X, he highlighted alleged discrepancies and possible digital tampering in the documents presented by Congress, including mismatches in surnames, biometric photographs, spelling errors in passports, and invalid QR codes.
The controversy, has intensified the political atmosphere in the state as campaigning gains momentum.