Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi has accused the BJP government in Assam and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of launching a new strategy to manipulate the upcoming polls. Speaking to reporters and locals, Gogoi said the state is already seeing signs of “vote chori” or vote theft and urged every family in Sivasagar to check their voter lists immediately.
“To defeat me in the elections, Himanta Biswa Sarma has adopted a new strategy. Fearing defeat, the BJP government has even started the work of vote theft in Assam,” Gogoi said, blaming the state administration and the ruling party for what he described as an organized attempt to change voter rolls.
Gogoi said a family from Sivasagar brought him a draft voter list after finding suspicious additions. “They came to me with their voter list. Three names were marked in red. There are three new people added,” he said. According to the MLA, the new names appear to be from outside the area and were added to the list of a local household; the home of one Mominul Rahman. The added names, Gogoi said, have titles that suggest they are from Bihar. 
Gogoi alleged the additions include both Muslim families and three new people identified as Bihari. “Their constituency name and other details are mentioned. These are clearly new names added to our voter list,” he said. He urged residents to be on guard and to report any discrepancies.
“Vote chori has happened in Sivasagar. The vote theft has started here,” Gogoi said emphatically. He vowed to resist what he called an effort by the Election Commission and the state government to alter the voter rolls. “We will not allow this to happen. We will not allow the Election Commission to do this vote chori,” he added.
Akhil Gogoi asked all families in Sivasagar to check their names in the voter list. “If any family finds any discrepancy or finds new names added without their consent, complain immediately and come to me,” he said. He warned people to be cautious and to report irregularities without delay.
