GUWAHATI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed the Congress' tally in Lok Sabha may come down to 30-35 seats in 2024 and it could lose the tag of principal opposition party.
Addressing a press conference here to highlight the achievements of eight years of Narendra Modi government, Sarma said the grand old party has become a "weak political establishment".
"It will be difficult for the Congress party to retain the status of principal opposition party in the next parliament election. In my assessment, they will come down to 30-35 seats in 2024," he predicted.
Talking about the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls in Rajasthan, Sarma claimed that the Congress has nominated "certain leaders" for the four seats who are not from the state and cannot win elections.
"If you look at Rajasthan, today it has become a kind of a railway station to accommodate refugees. Rahul Gandhi says India is a union of states, but not civilisation.
"If it is so, why have you supplied all Rajya Sabha candidates from Delhi to Jaipur? Or from Delhi to some other states? You can send one or two, but not the entire lot," he said.
"They have become a weak political establishment," he added.
Asked about the ongoing Naga peace talks, the NEDA Convenor said that durable and sustainable peace should be established in Nagaland.
