Young AJP Candidate in Assam Draws Fire from CM Sarma Amid Poll Campaign

Assam’s youngest Assembly poll candidate, 27-year-old London-educated Kunki Chowdhury, has found herself at the centre of a political storm after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched sharp attacks against her during the ongoing election campaign.
Chowdhury, contesting from the Guwahati Central constituency as a candidate of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), has been targeted by the Chief Minister over alleged social media posts linked to her family members. Sarma claimed that posts made by Chowdhury’s mother, including images and remarks related to food habits and religious sentiments, were objectionable and hurt the beliefs of sections of society.
The ruling BJP has framed the issue as one concerning cultural and religious sensitivities, with Sarma questioning the values represented by the candidate and her background. The remarks have added a new dimension to the campaign, bringing identity and lifestyle debates into the electoral discourse.
Chowdhury, however, has strongly denied the allegations, calling them “false and unfounded.” She accused the ruling party of diverting attention from core governance issues and attempting to malign her image for political gain. “This is a deliberate attempt to target me and distract voters,” she said in response to the controversy.
Political observers note that Chowdhury’s profile as a young, foreign-educated first-time candidate has made her a prominent face in the opposition camp, particularly among urban voters. Her candidature is seen as part of a broader effort by opposition parties to project fresh leadership in the state.
The controversy has also triggered reactions from opposition leaders, who have accused the BJP of engaging in personal attacks and trying to polarise voters along religious lines ahead of the polls.
With campaigning intensifying, the episode underscores the increasingly sharp and personalised nature of political contestation in Assam, where narratives around identity, culture and generational change are shaping the electoral battleground.