Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has characterized the upcoming state assembly elections as a "civilisational fight" to protect the state's identity, land, and culture. Addressing a BJP executive meeting, Sarma cited census data to claim that the population of Bangladeshi-origin Muslims is increasing and warned of potential demographic shifts. He contrasted this with a perceived "Sanatan civilisation" and alleged that past appeasement politics has led to the growth of another demographic group, framing the election as a choice between preserving Assamese identity and facing a future akin to recent events in Bangladesh.