Assam Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday accused the Congress of trying to put Hindu Bengalis “in danger”, reported The Indian Express.

The statement came two days after Congress’ Assam unit raised questions about the BJP fielding a “Bangladeshi” as its candidate for the Dholai Assembly bye-election.

BJP has nominated Nihar Ranjan Das against Congress’ Dhrubajyoti Purkayastha for the bye-poll, which will take place on November 13.

“By raising such issues, the Congress party is trying to open cases anew against Hindu Bengali people,” said Sarma. “We have solved problems, but the Congress is trying to open an issue anew.”

After being denied a BJP ticket from Dholai, party leader Amiya Kanti Das had said that Nihar Ranjan Das was an “outsider”, reported Hindustan Times.

“We have proof that his parents live in another country,” the newspaper quoted Amiya Kanti Das as saying. “A person of this background should not represent us.”

Drawing on the comments, Congress’ Assam chief Bhupen Borah on Sunday said a BJP leader who is “close to the chief minister” had stated that Nihar Ranjan Das is a Bangladeshi.

“The chief minister should tell the people of Assam why the BJP has given a Bangladeshi candidature here,” said Borah. “This is not a small thing. This is not a joking matter.”

Amiya Kanti Das had resigned from the BJP and filed his nomination as an Independent after being denied ticket. However, he withdrew his papers and rejoined the party later.

On Tuesday, Sarma said that Amiya Kanti Das was unhappy when he made the statements regarding Nihar Ranjan Das and that the remarks should not be taken seriously, reported the Hindustan Times.

“Be it Amiya Kanti Das who brings it up, or you or me, if these things are discussed, notices will go to the houses of another 10 people,” Sarma was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. “Another 100 people will have to come to tribunals. Who will suffer?”

The chief minister added: “He [Nihar Ranjan] has all his papers…his name is in the NRC [National Register of Citizens] Nihar babu will not suffer because of this, but 10 other people will. Congress is doing politics here so that there is again oppression of Hindu Bengali people.”

The Dholai constituency falls under the Barak Valley, which shares an over 125-km border with Bangladesh. Matters relating to citizenship are sensitive in the valley as a large population of Hindu Bengalis had migrated there after the Partition in 1947.