RaGa-Kharge's Close Door Meeting At Kiranshree Grand: What Were Prioritized?

As the closed-door meeting between Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge concluded at Hotel Kiranshree Grand, speculation mounted over the discussions that took place. The Congress top brass departed immediately for Chaygaon for another engagement. However, Pratidin Time has learned some key insights from a senior Congress source.

Land Rights Topped Congress Agenda

Amid growing unrest over alleged land grabs for mega projects — from Karbi Anglong and Barduar to Parbatjhora — the Congress has placed land rights for indigenous communities in Assam at the forefront of its political agenda.

“Ensuring land rights for the indigenous population will be a central issue for Congress. Rahul Gandhi and Kharge have assured they will formulate this into policy if the party comes to power in 2026,” a senior Congress leader told Pratidin Time.

Addressing party leaders, workers, and representatives from tribal and indigenous communities at the Kiranshree Grand Hotel near the airport, the Congress leadership vowed to make land rights a key electoral plank in Assam. Delegates from Parbatjhora, Barduar Tea Estate, Karbi Anglong, Chapar, and Bilasipara — all areas plagued by land-related disputes — were in attendance.

The meeting was facilitated by the Bhoomi Adhikar Suraksha Samiti (Land Rights Protection Committee), which organized the delegation of community leaders. They submitted a memorandum highlighting public discontent over evictions carried out by the BJP-led state government in forests, tea gardens, and tribal belts, including Kaziranga, Mikir Bamuni Grant, and parts of Karbi Anglong.

The delegates accused the BJP of displacing indigenous populations to serve the interests of corporate giants like Adani, Ambani, and Jay Shah. In a scathing statement, they alleged: “The BJP is building colonies for crony capitalists while evicting original inhabitants of Assam.”

Both Kharge and Gandhi assured the delegation that Congress would raise these concerns in Parliament and the Assembly. “We will fight for the rights of every indigenous person wronged by this government,” Rahul Gandhi reportedly said.

Notably, the Karbi Anglong unit of the Congress submitted a statement denouncing the leadership of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). They labeled Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang as “the most corrupt politician” in the region and demanded a thorough probe into land scams and resource mismanagement during his tenure.

The Congress leadership further alleged that the current regime had betrayed the people of Assam over the past five years, citing rampant unemployment, landlessness, corruption, and a sustained assault on indigenous rights. “There is a visible wave of resentment among the people. The BJP government has pushed daily lives into distress. People have started losing faith in this regime, and it is time for Congress to channel that sentiment into action,” a senior party source said.

Gear Up For 2026 With Honesty: Kharge & Rahul Urge State Workers

Both Kharge and Gandhi urged party workers to prepare for the 2026 elections with “utmost honesty and relentless effort.” They assured that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) would fully support the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) in its campaign.

“We must gain people’s confidence by standing beside them in times of distress. This is not just about politics — it’s about people’s lives and dignity,” Kharge told party cadres.

Later in the day, the senior leaders held a strategic meeting with members of the Political Affairs Committee, PCC office bearers, MPs, MLAs, DCC Presidents, and leaders of frontal organisations at the party headquarters in Guwahati. The session focused on grassroots mobilisation, especially in eviction-hit and conflict-prone areas.

Rahul Gandhi also stressed the need to build alliances with social organisations and grassroots movements across Assam to form a united front against BJP policies.

The Congress’s renewed focus on land rights comes as the BJP government intensifies eviction drives in ecologically sensitive and demographically diverse regions — a move that has provoked strong reactions from both political and civil society groups.

With the countdown to the 2026 Assembly polls underway, Wednesday’s meetings reflect a clear shift in the Congress’s strategy in Assam — one that seeks to reclaim lost ground by tapping into indigenous grievances and reframing the political battle as one between dispossession and dignity.

Also Read: Between Loyalty and Disappointment: A Congress Worker’s Honest Question to Her Party