A member of Parliament from Assam has said that the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Ministers should be barred from campaigning during elections to protect the interest of smaller political parties and Independent candidates.

Rajya Sabha member Biswajit Daimary of Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) said he had urged the Election Commission of India on Monday to ensure a level playing field for all parties. This, he said, can be done by treating the PM, CMs and Ministers as government employees who cannot work for any political party.

The BPF is one of two regional allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam. The other one is the Asom Gana Parishad.

“I argued that the PM, CMs and ministers provide services like government servants...Since government employees cannot campaign for any political party in any election, the same should apply to the PM, CMs and ministers,” Mr. Daimary said.

“They hold an advantage because of their official posts, and as such smaller parties are denied a level playing field. I have also suggested a check on hefty spending by bigger political parties. Their money power virtually throws smaller parties and Independent candidates out of the competition,” Mr. Daimary added.

The MP had earlier said that Assam was never free from the influence of Islam, and as such, nobody should have any qualms about a Muslim becoming the State’s Chief Minister. Assam has had only one Muslim CM – Anwara Taimur, who reigned for less than seven months during the Assam Agitation of 1979-1985.

“There are debates that Assam will have a Muslim CM by 2026 because of demographic changes. Assam has always been a pluralistic society, with Muslims dominating many of the 126 Assembly constituencies, so anybody can become the CM of the State,” he said.