“Amit Shah’s Assam Visit Is BJP’s Communal Strategy for 2026 Polls,” Says Akhil Gogoi

Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP, alleging that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Assam is part of the ruling party’s strategy to polarise voters on communal lines ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Addressing a Raijor Dal joining programme and party meeting in Dhemaji, Gogoi claimed that the BJP has begun laying the groundwork for the next Assembly polls by resorting to divisive politics. “Amit Shah’sAssam visit is not administrative or developmental in nature. It is a political move aimed at playing the communal card in the 2026 elections,” he alleged.

The Raijor Dal chief also made significant remarks on Opposition unity, expressing confidence that anti-BJP forces would contest the upcoming Assembly elections in a united manner. He said seat-sharing discussions among Opposition parties would be based on winnability. “Raijor Dal will stake claim only in those constituencies where we are confident of victory,” Gogoi said.

On the long-pending demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for six communities, Gogoi criticised the Chief Minister for allegedly creating doubt around the movement by claiming that tribal organisations are no longer demanding the status ahead of elections. He said such statements have pushed both the communities and their leaders into a “zone of suspicion”.

While acknowledging that “some leaders may have compromised,” Gogoi appealed to community leaders who, according to him, have not “sold out” to come forward and raise their voices strongly for tribal status.

During the meeting, over a hundred people from various communities and other political parties formally joined Raijor Dal, signalling what Gogoi described as growing public support for the party ahead of the 2026 polls.

The event marked a renewed political push by Raijor Dal in Upper Assam, with Gogoi positioning the party as a key player in shaping opposition politics in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

Also Read: Akhil Gogoi Urges Opposition Unity, Welcomes 300 Members as Raijor Dal Expands