From political rivals to cooperative partners: Himanta thanks Hemant Soren for ₹3 crore Assam flood relief
SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA Ranchi/Guwahati, Aug. 6: In a significant political development that underscores how governance can transcend electoral rivalries, Assam Chief Minister…
SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi/Guwahati, Aug. 6: In a significant political development that underscores how governance can transcend electoral rivalries, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday thanked Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and the people of Jharkhand for extending ₹3 crore in financial assistance to Assam’s flood relief efforts, describing the gesture as a symbol of the longstanding bond between the two states.
The exchange comes months after the two leaders were locked in an intense political contest during the Jharkhand Assembly elections, where Sarma, as the BJP’s election co-in-charge and principal campaign strategist, led an aggressive campaign against the JMM-led alliance headed by Hemant Soren. The BJP, however, failed to unseat the Hemant Soren government.
Himanta highlights enduring ties between Assam and Jharkhand
In a message posted on social media, Sarma said Assam and Jharkhand have shared a deep emotional relationship for decades, with the people of both states standing by each other during times of both hardship and celebration.
“Today, that same spirit has once again been demonstrated,” he said.
Expressing gratitude for Jharkhand’s contribution, Sarma said Hemant Soren had conveyed heartfelt condolences over the devastation caused by the floods and sanctioned ₹3 crore to the Assam Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
“While financial assistance is important during a crisis, the feeling behind it—that we are not alone—is even more valuable,” Sarma said, adding that the support had given strength and hope to flood-affected families across Assam.
On behalf of the people of Assam, he thanked Hemant Soren and the people of Jharkhand for their solidarity and compassion.
Hemant Soren’s letter expresses solidarity
Earlier this week, Hemant Soren wrote to the Assam Chief Minister expressing deep sorrow over the widespread destruction caused by the floods and announcing a ₹3 crore contribution to the Assam Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
In the letter, Soren said the Government and people of Jharkhand stood firmly with the flood-affected people of Assam, describing it as a humanitarian responsibility to support those affected by the natural disaster. He also appealed to the people of Jharkhand and voluntary organisations to contribute to relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Expressing confidence that Assam would overcome the crisis through collective efforts, Soren assured that Jharkhand would extend any additional assistance required and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the affected families.
Political rivals during Jharkhand elections
The cordial exchange assumes political significance because of the sharp confrontation between the two Chief Ministers during the Jharkhand Assembly elections.
Himanta Biswa Sarma, one of the BJP’s principal strategists and campaign in-charges, spearheaded the party’s election campaign in Jharkhand and repeatedly targeted the Hemant Soren government on issues ranging from governance to infiltration, law and order and alleged corruption.
Hemant Soren, in turn, mounted a vigorous counter-campaign, accusing the BJP of attempting to divide society and undermine Jharkhand’s tribal identity. The JMM-led alliance ultimately retained power, dealing a setback to the BJP’s campaign.
Assam’s tea tribes remain an emotional link
The relationship between the two states extends beyond politics.
During the Assembly election campaign in Assam earlier this year, Hemant Soren addressed election rallies highlighting the historical and cultural ties between Jharkhand and Assam through the tea tribe communities, whose ancestors had migrated from the Chotanagpur region—comprising present-day Jharkhand—to Assam during the colonial era to work in tea plantations.
Soren had appealed to the tea tribe communities to preserve their cultural identity while emphasising the shared heritage linking the two states.
Political observers say Himanta Sarma’s public acknowledgement of Jharkhand’s assistance and his praise for Hemant Soren’s humanitarian gesture reflect how inter-state cooperation can rise above electoral contestation.
A message beyond politics
The exchange of letters and public messages between the two Chief Ministers sends a broader message of cooperative federalism at a time when Assam continues to recover from one of its worst flood spells in recent years.
Despite fierce political differences witnessed during successive Assembly elections in both Jharkhand and Assam, the two governments have demonstrated that humanitarian assistance and federal cooperation remain above partisan politics, reinforcing the historic people-to-people ties between the two states.
