Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s playful video with schoolchildren has gone viral on social media. Shared on X, the clip shows him joking about a student’s haircut, reinforcing his ‘Mama’ image amid ongoing welfare initiatives.

Assam: Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, another video goes viral but this time not for making a political or governance-related statement. The small and humorous clip featuring the Chief Minister engaging with schooling kids has hit the right spots on social networks, bringing smiles to many faces.

The video, shared by the Chief Minister himself on platform X (formerly Twitter), shows him speaking to a number of students. In a playful moment, he gently tugs at a young boy’s hair while chatting with him, prompting laughter from those around.

While advising the students, CM captioning the video wrote, “I understand that my nephews' hairstyle should be slim and trim.”

This statement struck a chord with the audience, especially in the case of Assam, as children commonly address him as “Mama,” which is the nickname for the mother’s brother in some cultures. The nickname reflects his public image as an approachable leader who is comfortable engaging with people, especially children, beyond formal settings.

The viral video comes at a time when the Assam government has been at the forefront in implementing welfare schemes aimed at students and families.

According to The Indian Express, with elections approaching, the state government launched a new beneficiary scheme on New Year’s Day aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate male students. Alongside this, it announced a ‘Bihu gift’ of Rs 8,000 for around 37 lakh women beneficiaries under its flagship Orunodoi programme.

In 2024, the government also launched the Nijut Moina initiative as part of efforts to counter child marriage. Under the initiative, the government awards monthly financial aid to female students pursuing education from higher secondary to postgraduate levels.

Chief Minister Sarma announced the initiation of a new venture called the Babu Asoni scheme on 1 Februrary in response to demands for the implementation of a welfare scheme among male students. Under the scheme, eligible postgraduate students will receive Rs 2,000 per month, while undergraduate students will be given Rs 1,000 monthly. Sarma stated that the scheme would apply to families with an annual household income of up to Rs 4 lakh.

The schedule for the next Assam Legislative Assembly election is expected to be announced by the end of February or early March.