'Congress Routed From The Very City Where It Was Born': PM Modi Lauds BJP's Mumbai Poll Performance In Kaziranga

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) recent poll performance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and slammed the Congress in the same breath saying that the grand old party has lost its electoral clout from the same city where it was born.

“Congress was born in Mumbai, but today, Congress stands in the fourth or fifth position in the city. Congress has lost the faith of the country because it has no development agenda. In Maharashtra, which the Congress ruled for years, the party has completely shrunk. The Congress has lost the trust of the country because it has no agenda for development,” the Prime Minister said.

The Congress was founded in 1885, and its first session was held in Mumbai (then Bombay). The historic party was established by AO Hume, and was meant to be a platform for Indian nationalists so that they cam engage with British government in power. In the BMC elections conducted on January 15, the Congress gave a sub-par performance securing only 24 seats, seven fewer than what it had won in 2017. 

‘Congress Facilitating Infiltrators’

Lambasting the Congress for facilitating infiltrators in Assam, PM Modi said, “What did the Congress do in Assam? They gave up Assamese soil to the infiltrators just for some votes and to form their government. For decades Congress formed governments in Assam and infiltrators surged in Assam continuously.” 

Pointing out how infiltration is harmful for Assam, the Prime Minister said, “These infiltrators had no connection with Assam's history, culture and faith. That is why they encroached on various places. For these infiltrators, animal corridors were encroached on, cases of illegal hunting and smuggling surged. These infiltrators are also changing our demography. They are attacking our culture, snatching jobs, encroaching Adivasi lands through betrayals. This is against the security of Assam and India.”

PM Modi claimed that protecting ‘infiltrators’ has been the Congress' prime goal, and the party had even taken out rallies to prevent the SIR exercise which was aimed at weeding out infiltrators from the electoral list. 

“You should remain cautious of the Congress. They have only one tradition- protecting infiltrators and getting power through them. The Congress and its partners are doing this throughout the country. They did the same in Bihar. They even took out rallies to save illegal migrants. But they were routed in Bihar and now it is the turn for Assam,” he said.

BJP's Recent Electoral Gains

Elaborating on the BJP's recent electoral promises, PM Modi said that in Bihar, people have given record votes to the BJP even 20 years after staying in power in the state. The Prime Minister said that the results of the mayor and councilor elections in Maharashtra also reflect the same mandate, which shows that voters are interested in “good governance" and wants "development”.

PM Modi also emphasized how the saffron party has made significant inroads into Kerala and for the first time a BJP Mayor has been elected in Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala is also going into polls in 2026, where the BJP has not been a major political player, conventionally.

Revisiting Kaziranga

Upon reaching Kaziranga, PM Modi said that he remembers the days he had the opportunity to stay overnight at Kaziranga National Park and enjoy the elephant safari the next day, saying that he always feels an "unique joy" when he comes to Assam.

“Today, once again, I have had the good fortune to visit Kaziranga. In such moments, it feels very natural to recall my previous visit. The moments spent in Kaziranga two years ago are among the most special experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to stay overnight in Kaziranga National Park, and the next day, during an elephant safari, I experienced the beauty of this region very closely. I always feel a unique joy upon coming to Assam,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also performed the Bhoomi Pujan of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project (4-Laning of Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of NH-715), worth over Rs 6,950 Crore on Sunday. The inauguration comes months ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, where the ruling BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is seeking its third term in office.

Features of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor

The 86 km long Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project is an environmentally conscious National Highway project. It will feature 35 km of Elevated Wildlife Corridor that will pass through Kaziranga National Park, 21 km Bypass section and 30 km widening of the existing highway section of NH-715 from two to four lanes. The project aims to improve regional connectivity while ensuring protection of the park’s rich biodiversity.

The project  will pass through Nagaon, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts and will significantly improve connectivity to Upper Assam, particularly Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. The elevated wildlife corridor will ensure uninterrupted movement of animals, reduce human-wildlife conflict.

It will also enhance road safety, reduce travel time and accident rates, and support growing passenger and freight traffic. As part of the project, Bypasses will be developed at Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat that will help to decongest towns, improve urban mobility and enhance the quality of life for local residents.

Amrit Bharat Express trains flagged off

Prime Minister Modi also flagged off two New Amrit Bharat Express trains - Guwahati (Kamakhya)-Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express and Dibrugarh-Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) Amrit Bharat Express.

These new train services will strengthen rail connectivity between the Northeast and Northern India, enabling safer and more convenient travel for the people. 

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