Gaurav Gogoi’s Influence Sabotaging Assam Opposition, Says Akhil Gogoi

With just days left for the Panchayat elections in Assam, Raijor Dal Chief Akhil Gogoi launched a blistering attack on the Congress party, accusing them of betrayal and sabotaging potential opposition unity. In a candid address, Gogoi expressed deep dissatisfaction with Congress’s refusal to form a coalition with his party,  a move he claims is aimed at benefiting the BJP.

"I had hoped for a united front against the BJP in these elections, particularly a coalition with Congress," Gogoi stated. "We repeatedly emphasised that contesting separately would be suicidal for the opposition. BJP and AJP, both in coalition, have already divided the seats between themselves, giving them a significant advantage. If the opposition continues to remain divided, the government's position will only strengthen."

The Raijor Dal leader revealed that despite Congress President Bhupen Borah’s clear instructions to form an alliance with his party in the Sivasagar constituency, the party chose not to collaborate. According to Gogoi, this decision was driven by Congress’s internal power struggles, specifically around the influence of Gaurav Gogoi. "It is clear that Gaurav Gogoi’s influence is preventing Congress from uniting with us. Congress could have formed an alliance, but the leadership, under pressure from Gogoi, deliberately chose not to," Akhil remarked. He added that Congress’s refusal to unite with the opposition in Sivasagar was a direct move to aid the BJP.

Gogoi’s remarks shed light on the political maneuvering within Congress, stating that while Bhupen Borah wanted the coalition, Gaurav Gogoi's refusal stemmed from the belief that any cooperation with Raijor Dal would ultimately benefit Borah, further consolidating his power within the party. "They told me that once Gaurav Gogoi becomes the State Congress Chief, he might consider forming coalitions, but not under Borah's leadership," he said.

Gogoi also turned his attention to LoP in the Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, claiming that Saikia’s reluctance to form an alliance with Raijor Dal was another example of internal party tensions that hurt the opposition’s chances. "We have helped him in the past, yet his unwillingness to cooperate is baffling," Gogoi remarked.

At the heart of Gogoi's accusations is the claim that Congress is not focused on winning the elections, but rather on sabotaging his political career. "The Congress party is not playing the elections to win; they are simply working to defeat Akhil Gogoi and please the BJP," he concluded.