Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken a fresh swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after a spelling controversy involving Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sarma questioned whether the Congress leader’s name should also lose its final letters, turning a social media typo into another political exchange.
The remark came on Friday, October 30, after Gandhi addressed Sitharaman as “Mrs. Sitarama” in a post on X. The post was part of a wider dispute over the Tata Group, government-business relations and a reported meeting involving senior political and business figures. The remarks quickly drew attention because they brought the Assam Chief Minister into a national-level exchange.
Himanta Sarma Targets Rahul Gandhi Over the Typo
Himanta Sarma reacted to the spelling of the Finance Minister’s surname by accusing Congress of using the error to attract attention online.
He urged Congress to challenge the BJP through electoral contests rather than social media exchanges. He said Congress should fight “on the ground, through both the ballot and the EVM”, describing the online row as an attention-seeking tactic.
Himanta Sarma’s post followed a defence of Gandhi by Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate. On October 29, Shrinate described the misspelling as “typo marketing”, arguing that deliberate errors can draw attention to a message. She also thanked BJP supporters for amplifying Gandhi’s post by focusing on the spelling.
How the Exchange Between Rahul Gandhi and Sitharaman Began
The controversy began with Gandhi’s criticism of the Centre over the ongoing leadership dispute within the Tata Group. In a post on October 28, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged that the conglomerate was being “criminally destroyed”. He also claimed that business leaders were afraid to speak out.
Gandhi argued that Indian businesses should not be treated as the “plaything” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Sitharaman responded by rejecting Gandhi’s characterisation of the matter. The Finance Minister also defended the government’s approach to industry, saying its policies aimed to support enterprise, investment and job creation.
Himanta Sarma Enters the Wider Tata Group Row
Gandhi then addressed the Finance Minister as “Mrs. Sitarama” while raising questions about a meeting involving Tata Trusts and Tata Sons representatives at Amit Shah’s residence. He asked what legal or commercial matter required the meeting and made further allegations about influence over the conglomerate.
Those claims remain political allegations and should not be treated as established findings. The exchange comes amid a separate governance dispute within Tata Sons, the Tata Group’s holding company.
Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata has challenged a September 17 board resolution concerning the reappointment of N. Chandrasekaran as Tata Sons chairman. The dispute has drawn attention to the company’s leadership and governance, while political leaders have used it to criticise one another.
Congress Calls the Misspelling ‘Typo Marketing’
The Congress response added another layer to the argument. Shrinate said the misspelling helped bring attention to Gandhi’s criticism of the Tata issue. Her comment framed the spelling as a communications tactic rather than an accidental error.
However, Himanta Sarma rejected that explanation and used it to question the opposition’s political strategy.
Political Sparring Moves Beyond Social Media
Himanta Sarma’s latest remarks add to the frequent public exchanges between BJP and Congress leaders. Both parties regularly use social media to challenge opponents, defend their positions and reach supporters.
For now, the dispute centres on competing claims about the Tata Group and the conduct of political leaders. Gandhi has questioned the government’s role, while Sitharaman has rejected his allegations. Himanta Sarma, meanwhile, has criticised the Congress response to the misspelling.
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