Tinsukia: As Assam prepares for its Assembly elections on April 9, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has included mustard oil, commonly known as “Mitha Tel,” as part of his election campaign.
“My child eats what I cook every day. If BJP is going to deliver real mustard oil like they say, my vote is theirs. It means they understand our daily struggles,” Ranjeeta Nayak, 26, a young mother in Tinsukia’s co-district Doomdooma, told Northeast Now on Sunday.
In multiple public addresses, including a notable rally in November 2025, Sarma explicitly tied the pledge to electoral support, stating, “We have given you rice, dal, sugar, salt, Orunodoi, and Nijut Moina. Next, if you make us win the election, we will give 1 litre mustard oil. Then all household worries will end… Jhemela khotom.”
In Tinsukia’s urban neighbourhoods like Doomdooma, Makum, and Digboi, however, caution prevails. Reflecting a more sceptical view, 38-year-old professional Anjali Sarma, a resident of Makum, said, “It’s helpful for my mother back in the village (Kakopathar), but I worry about quality. Will it be pure mustard oil or just another political promise?”
This comes on the heels of the expanded Anna Seva scheme, delivering subsidised essentials at Rs 100 monthly to nearly 70 lakh ration-card families since January 2026.
The BJP also promotes local production via the District Mustard Mission, positioning the promise as both welfare relief and support for Assamese farmers amid fluctuating edible oil prices.
Opposition parties, particularly the Indian National Congress, have labelled the move a gimmick, drawing sharp rebuttals from Sarma. At a Dibrugarh rally, he targeted Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi, remarking, “Gaurav Gogoi’s children live in England and are British citizens. That’s why he doesn’t know the value of mustard oil,” highlighting the cultural divide between local “Mitha Tel” and imported alternatives like sunflower oil.
In Assam, mustard oil transcends mere cooking; it is integral to traditional fish curries, pickles, and daily tempering, carrying deep cultural resonance. The strategy specifically targets women voters who manage household budgets, especially in rural PDS-dependent areas.
At Beesakopie, Tinsukia’s tea-garden belt, 45-year-old worker Malati Oraon paused during a break and said, “We work hard plucking leaves all day. If the government gives us pure Mitha Tel for our dal and curry, it would feel like real care, no more worrying about expensive oil.”
Nearby, 52-year-old homemaker Priya Devi echoed the sentiment, noting, “Finally, our own Mitha Tel at home price. No more mixing cheap oils that ruin the taste. This would make cooking for the family so much easier.”
The Election Commission of India announced the schedule on March 15, 2026. Polling for all 126 constituencies will occur in a single phase on April 9, with counting and results declared on May 4. The entire process will conclude by May 6.
Analysts anticipate the “Mitha Tel” narrative could influence 8–12% of votes in tight rural races, though floods, employment, and immigration remain dominant concerns. Adulteration fears and erucic acid debates could also temper enthusiasm if opposition campaigns highlight them.
With nominations underway, Sarma filed from Jalukbari on March 20. The promise continues to simmer in kitchens across the state.
“It’s all politics, mustard oil politics, but women voters are going to play a decisive role in this election,” said a former ward member.