Guwahati: On Friday during an election campaign in Dhemaji, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was pulled close by a woman supporter who kissed him on the cheek, setting off scenes that quickly went viral.The video showed Sarma being enthusiastically mobbed by a group of emotional women supporters, many in tears and laughter, as they reached out to hug him, shower him with flower petals and capture the moment on their mobile phones.As opposition crticsed the act, Sarma, quick to turn it into political capital. He said, “From mothers to children and elders, everyone showers me with love and affection, reflected even in the act of kissing me. In these kisses there is sanctity, oneness, love. It is not acquired instantly but after 25 years of tapasya.”He added, “ Whether during floods, in Covid ICUs or in children’s welfare drives, I have always been at the front. If you tell the truth with politics, people show overwhelming love.” He added with a jab at rivals: “If Congress asks why people don’t kiss them, that is not my fault.”The optics are striking with women gathering in large numbers to greet the CM at close quarters, reflecting a bond Sarma has carefully cultivated and now flaunts as proof of his connect. Earlier, he had described scratches sustained during the crowded Jana Ashirwad Yatra as “marks of love and affection,” embracing the intensity of public interaction in a positive light.With women voters nearly equal in number to men, the BJP has built its outreach through flagship welfare schemes. Orunodoi provides direct financial assistance to women from weaker households, while Lakhpati Baideo aims to empower nearly 40 lakh women as rural entrepreneurs with grants of ₹35,000.As Assam heads into the 2026 Assembly polls, the kiss in Lakhimpur has become more than just a viral moment—it is being projected as a symbol of trust, welfare politics and personal connect. For Sarma, the embrace of women voters is not just affection but ammunition in a high-stakes election battle.
