Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his Assam election campaign on Wednesday with a symbolic interaction with tea garden workers at a tea garden in Dibrugarh, the heart of India’s tea industry.Calling tea the “soul of Assam, Modi in a gesture aimed at connecting with the state’s largest workforce, joined women workers in plucking tea leaves, calling them his “guru” for teaching him how pluck tea leaves, underscoring the political weight of Assam’s tea tribes, who form a decisive bloc across dozens of constituencies.Spread across more than 850 tea gardens, they constitute nearly 17% of Assam’s population and hold sway in 35 to 40 assembly seats, primarily in Upper Assam. Historically loyal to Congress, the community shifted en masse towards BJP in 2016.After the British East India Company laid the foundation of the tea plantation system, it started recruiting workforce from eastern India. In 1859 recruitment was done from across the Chhotanagpur plateau and adjoining forested tracts — today’s Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and bordering areas of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.At Manohari Tea Estate in Dibrugarh, Modi interacted with the 19 women garden workers about their families, education and wages.Modi shared photos and videos on X, describing the experience as “memorable” and praising the contribution of tea garden families to Assam’s progress. “’Tea is the soul of Assam! The tea from here has made its way across the world. This morning in Dibrugarh, I went to a tea garden and interacted with women working here. It was a very memorable experience,” Modi posted on X.He listened to concerns on healthcare and wages, asked about Bihu delicacies, and reminded workers of his own past as a chaiwala. The visit also featured a traditional Jhumur dance performance and songs sung by the women.Responding to a query from the Prime Minister about whether their children are engaged in sports, the women labourers said several of their wards were interested in playing football.“’The women at the tea garden in Dibrugarh sang a song, which pays homage to ‘Jagat Janani Maa’. It is amazing how they remain so connected with their culture and roots,” the PM said.Spending nearly half an hour with them, Modi also listened to the concerns of the tea workers and discussed key issues such as education, healthcare and wages. “’The plucking of tea leaves was followed by the women talking about their culture and of course a selfie!” he said in another post.
