Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Assam, which concluded on Sunday, marked a striking departure from the Hindu nationalist imagery that has often defined his public appearances.
This time, there were no chants of “Jai Sri Ram,” cow-feeding rituals, or temple visits.
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Instead, Modi focused on infrastructure and economic projects worth over Rs 19,000 crore, signaling a strategic shift toward development-oriented messaging in the Northeast.
“Thank you, Adarniya @narendramodi Ji, for your two-day visit to Assam. Your efforts and initiatives have secured our civilisational heritage and given new momentum to the state’s developmental journey. #PMModiInAssam,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on X shortly after Modi departed for Kolkata, the capital of Bengal.
Modi arrived in Guwahati on Saturday and paid tribute to cultural icon Bhupen Hazarika, deliberately avoiding religious symbolism.
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On Sunday, he inaugurated a medical college and hospital in Darrang, laid the foundation stone for the Guwahati Ring Road, and launched a bio-ethanol plant in Numaligarh, Golaghat.
The plant aims to use Assam’s bamboo resources to promote sustainable energy and generate employment.
In his speeches, Modi focused on anti-infiltration rhetoric and land reforms under ‘Mission Basundhara,’ aligning with local concerns.
Notably, he did not use the “Jai Sri Ram” slogans he had previously invoked in Assam, especially during the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign, linked to the Ram Lalla event in Ayodhya.
Unlike in previous visits, Modi skipped the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati. He briefly mentioned its “holy land” while discussing Janmashtami and border security, stating only that “Operation Sindoor was successful by the blessing of Maa Kamakhya.” The cow-feeding ritual he performed during the 2024 Pongal celebrations was also absent.
Analysts interpret this shift as a deliberate focus on Assam’s ethnic and economic priorities, moving away from pan-Hindu appeals. The strategy aligns with Modi’s broader Northeast tour, including stops in Mizoram and Manipur, where he launched projects worth Rs 71,850 crore.
In his X posts, Modi highlighted the public’s enthusiasm for development, carefully avoiding religious imagery.
This recalibration likely reflects a strategy to broaden his electoral appeal in a region where local issues often outweigh religious nationalism, especially with potential state elections looming.
The Assam Assembly election is expected to be held next year, either before or after Rongali Bihu.
Modi, however, remained silent on contentious issues such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for certain groups, and other pressing concerns in Assam.