Guwahati: With the political temperature rising ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, after Jharkhand CM Hemanta Soren today Jharkhand Minister Shilpa Neha Tirkey on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government, accusing it of failing tea garden workers on key promises. Addressing the media, Tirkey alleged that the BJP had “cheated” lakhs of tea workers by not fulfilling its commitment on daily wages. “Before the last elections, they promised ₹351 as daily wage. Today, even minimum wages have not been ensured. This is a clear betrayal,” she said.She also questioned the government’s claims on distributing land pattas to tea garden families. According to her, what has been given are “mere papers without legal standing”. “If these documents are challenged by garden managements, they won’t hold in court. Without any agreement with the owners, how can such promises be made?” she asked.Taking a broader swipe, Tirkey said the government has failed to address the everyday struggles of tea garden communities. “These workers have been ignored for years. Now, just before elections, they are being handed papers and told it is development. This is nothing but misleading the people who sustain Assam’s tea economy,” she remarked.
Her comments come at a time when tea tribes remain a decisive electoral factor, particularly in upper Assam districts like Dibrugarh and Tinsukia, where a large population traces its roots to Jharkhand’s Chhotanagpur region.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), part of the ruling alliance in Jharkhand, has decided to contest 21 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly this time. The party has joined hands with the Jai Bharat Party and is actively reaching out to Adivasi and tribal voters. Also Watch:
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has already stepped up campaigning in Assam, holding rallies in tea garden areas, while senior JMM leaders are focusing on issues such as fair wages, land rights and living conditions.Political observers say while the BJP has consolidated its presence in tea garden belts over the years, lingering concerns over wages and land pattas could become a key talking point this election.For now, Tirkey’s strong remarks have added a new edge to the campaign narrative, bringing the focus back on the ground realities faced by Assam’s tea garden workers.