Assam BJP president and Lok Sabha MP Dilip Saikia has urged the railway ministry to name two long-distance trains after the revered Vaishnavite saint-reformers Sankardev and his disciple Madhavdev on Monday.

Saikia made the plea while participating in the debate over grants for the fiscal year 2025-26 under the railway ministry.

The two-time Darang-Udalguri MP said the Guwahati-Delhi-Guwahati and Guwahati-Chennai-Guwahati trains should be named in honour of the two saints for their contributions towards shaping the Assamese society.

Saikia’s plea came a day after Amit Shah announced at the conference in Kokrajhar, the Centre’s decision to name a prominent Delhi road after Upendranath Brahma, the deceased ABSU president and the man who spearheaded the Bodoland movement for the upliftment of the community.

The ruling BJP at the Centre and in the state have been promoting places and people from the state.

BJP watchers said the developments of the past two days were part of the BJP’s outreach in the Northeast, particularly Assam, which is politically important to the party’s prospects in the region.

Assam goes to Assembly polls next year but has three local body polls this year.

Saikia in his speech also flagged the need for new rail stops and resumption of services at rail stops which were shut during the pandemic.