Assam Elections 2026: Akhil Gogoi Says Alliance Talks with Congress ‘Not Going Well'

Raijor Dal chief and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi has expressed deep dissatisfaction over seat-sharing negotiations with the Congress ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, stating that developments in the alliance talks are “not going well.”

Gogoi said that as recently as last night, he believed the alliance with Congress would be finalised. However, after a late-night meeting within his party, Raijor Dal decided it was unhappy with the way discussions were progressing.

“We thought the alliance would be finalised yesterday. But after our meeting last night, we are dissatisfied. Things are changing. Even issues that were earlier agreed upon are now being altered,” he said.

He announced that Raijor Dal has decided to send a final letter to the Congress leadership. “After they receive the letter, if the response from Congress is positive, that will be good. Otherwise, we will have to take a call,” he said.

Gogoi said a committee formed by Congress has been holding discussions with Raijor Dal, but alleged that earlier understandings were being diluted. “Even the points on which there was prior consent are now being revisited. That is why we are upset,” he said.

He maintained that Raijor Dal had already made significant compromises. Initially, the party had sought 27 seats but later reduced its demand to 15 seats in the interest of alliance unity.

“We are asking for only 15 seats. But Congress has already locked in around 100 seats for itself. They have taken all their preferred seats,” Gogoi said.

He added that Raijor Dal cannot deny tickets to its long-standing party workers and key leaders who have been working in specific constituencies. “If we are not given the constituencies where we have been working and are instead offered unrelated seats, it will only be for show. We cannot demoralise our core leadership,” he stated.

According to Gogoi, out of the constituencies Raijor Dal prefers, only four have been offered so far. “We have shown a lot of patience. But Congress is forming new committees with new faces, and those new members also have their own preferred candidates,” he remarked.

He further said that Raijor Dal believes it has strong ground presence in minority-dominated constituencies. “Ideally, we could contest 15 seats in minority areas alone. Yet we have asked for only three such seats. Congress has offered us just one,” he said.

Gogoi alleged that Congress leaders behave as though all minority constituencies are exclusively theirs. “According to Congress, all minority seats are their inherited property. We respected the views of their senior leaders, but they have not listened to us at all,” he added.

Despite the strain, Gogoi noted that both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi had earlier expressed interest in forming an alliance with Raijor Dal and conveyed that intention to his party.

“We are still hopeful. But if there is no fair and reasonable understanding, there is no option left,” he said, adding that party workers are disappointed by the current situation.

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