Sarma’s Momentum Stalled: A Double Pause and the Return of Jayanta Malla Baruah

In Assam’s political theatre, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thrives on speed and the projection of decisive action. Bulldozers, eviction drives, mass plantation programmes, and public spectacles are woven into his narrative of a “hyperactive CM.” Yet, politics often strikes back with its own counterweights. The recent “double pause”—the Supreme Court’s halt on the Uriamghat eviction drive and the suspension of the mass plantation programme along the disputed Assam–Nagaland border—has shaken that carefully built momentum.

To offset the sudden loss of pace, Sarma has brought back his trusted lieutenant, Jayanta Malla Baruah, once sidelined after the controversial “Gir cow episode.” By placing Baruah in the Nalbari spotlight, Sarma hopes to restore his rhythm. But does this comeback restore strength—or merely reveal a strategic retreat to square one?

Bulldozers Halted, Saplings Uprooted

The Uriamghat eviction drive was meant to project Sarma’s no-nonsense image, blending law-and-order with Assamese sub-nationalist sentiment. The Supreme Court’s intervention, however, recast the issue in terms of legality and humanitarian fallout.

Similarly, the ambitious plantation mission—marketed as both an ecological push and a territorial claim—was halted by border disputes with Nagaland. Instead of consolidating Assam’s hold, the drive highlighted the fragility of inter-state trust.

Together, these pauses reveal the limits of unilateral governance. Courts, neighbouring states, and community pushbacks have shown that Sarma’s theatrics can be slowed, if not stopped.

The Return of Jayanta Malla Baruah

Jayanta Malla Baruah’s return after a long political silence is no accident. In Nalbari—Sarma’s stronghold—his re-entry signals loyalty rewarded and a reassembly of strength. For BJP cadres, it serves as reassurance that the "old war-room" remains intact ahead of the 2026 elections. For the public, it is presented as proof that while controversies may fade, loyalists endure.

Baruah’s importance lies in his dual role as both an organiser and a key communicator. His presence is less about personal stature and more about restoring the CM’s control mechanisms at a time when flagship missions have faltered.

Momentum by Substitution

Sarma’s politics is built on never leaving a vacuum. When the optics of the eviction drive dimmed, he launched the plantation spectacle. When the saplings were stalled, he shifted focus to personalities. This constant substitution keeps his politics in motion, even if policies remain unfinished.

But Risks Multiply

The recycling of a controversial lieutenant risks reopening old wounds. The unfinished narratives of the eviction and plantation drives give ammunition to critics who argue Sarma’s government delivers more spectacle than substance. The over-dependence on familiar faces may also erode the novelty that once defined his political playbook.

Back to Square One?

The double pause exposes both the power and fragility of Sarma’s style. His revival of Baruah may maintain short-term momentum, but it also risks portraying him as a leader circling back to the past—revisiting old controversies, relying on incomplete missions.

For the opposition, the message is simple: “bulldozers stopped, saplings uprooted, loyalists recycled—Assam paused.”

Whether Sarma can convert these pauses into fresh momentum, or finds himself forced back to square one, will define not just his legacy but the trajectory of Assam’s politics in the run-up to 2026.