Anti-CAA protest won't affect Mission 100 target: Himanta Biswa Sarma

The protest against the CAA would not hurt BJP's Mission 100--the target set by the saffron party to bag 100 of the 126 seats in the next year's Assembly elections in Assam, senior BJP leader and the party's pointsman in the Northeast, Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday.

"The result will happen the way I have been telling in every meeting (100 seats). Our contest in the election is with the Congress and so what Congress says and what we say about them will have affect. The protest or a stand by organisations, may have impact in social life but not in elections. But if they form a political party and contest elections, we will have to fight them and we will do so," Sarma told reporters here when asked about possible impact of the anti-CAA protest in the elections.

Many BJP leaders looked nervous as Assam roared in protest since December 11, when the Centre passed the Citizenship Amendment Act. Organisations representing the indigenous communities termed BJP as destructive to their ethnic identity as the CAA seeks to allow non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan till 2014 to apply for Indian citizenship after a stay of six years. At least five persons died in police action during the protest. Several parts of Assam continued to witness strong protests against CAA and BJP even today.

Sarma, however, took the lead and organised several rallies amid the protests and emphasised that BJP would win at least 100 of the 126 seats in 2021 elections.

Party insiders said Sarma's confidence was significant as he had played the "most significant" role in wresting power from Congress in 2016 and forming BJP's first government in Assam in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. BJP won 67 seats and formed the coalition government with Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front, two regional allies. Sarma switched from Congress to BJP in 2015.

Some others, however, are skeptical saying the indigenous voters were angry with BJP for passing the CAA and would give a "befitting reply" in 2021 elections. Organisations leading the anti-CAA protests are also planning to launch a new political party and contest next elections.