Guwahati, Oct 2 (IANS): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged on Friday that illegal settlers have hatched a plan to grab power in the state by 2050, gradually becoming a majority and dominant community in different Assembly constituencies across the state.

Sarma claimed that the land encroachers in Gorukhuti (Sipajhar) in Darrang district, who were evicted from government lands on September 20 and 23, were part of this blueprint plan to wrest control of the government.

"Not all Assamese Muslims are involved in this plan. This is the thought process of a section of people. They have conspired to make a blueprint to obtain majority in the Assembaly constituencies in a phased manner. After becoming the Chief Minister, I have seen various reports and evidence of this blueprint," Sarma told the media.

According to intelligence and other reports, these illegal settlers are planning to gain a majority in Sipajhar, Borkhola and Lumding Assembly constituencies by altering the existing demographic situation in these areas within the next few years, the Chief Minister said.

He said that it was observed in the recent Assembly elections that already the demographic pattern has been changed in Batadroba, Barkhetri and Mangaldai, resulting in the opposition Congress wresting three seats from the BJP.

Sarma informed that out of the 10,000 people evicted in Gorukhuti (Sipajhar) in Darrang district, the names of around 6,000 were not included in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) published in August 2019.

He said that the government would discuss with those who have been living in Gorukhuti for many years and include their names in the NRC.

Muslims comprise 34.22 per cent of the 3.12 crore population of Assam, of which 4 per cent are indigenous Assamese Muslims and the remaining are mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims.

Muslim votes are a determining factor in at least 30 to 35 seats out of Assam's total 126 Assembly seats.

Of Assam's 34 districts, 19 districts have 12 per cent or more Muslim population, and in six districts (out of these 19 districts), the Muslim population constitutes 50 per cent or more.