Assam Congress calls for ‘sacrifice’ in seat talks; admits RS numbers crunch

Guwahati, Feb 22: The Congress has urged its potential alliance partners to move forward in a “spirit of sacrifice” on seat-sharing, while candidly acknowledging that the party lacks the numerical strength to influence the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections on its own.

Speaking to the press after a high-level meeting with the party’s top leadership in New Delhi on Saturday, APCC president Gaurav Gogoi indicated that seat-sharing talks are nearing their final stages. However, he called on all stakeholders to adopt a realistic and cooperative approach.

He stressed that rigid demands over seat distribution would not advance the broader objective of strengthening the Opposition.

“I don’t believe that we should get into fixed positions about how many seats one party must have or how many another should get. What is important is to assess the ground reality within the available number of seats,” Gogoi said.

“Every party needs to make adjustments and show flexibility. Congress has already made more sacrifices than expected, and we are prepared to move forward with the same spirit,” he added.

Gogoi underlined that discussions are at a crucial juncture. “We are in the final stages of discussions. If everyone approaches the talks with a sense of responsibility and cooperation, a solution can be reached,” he said.

He also reiterated that the Congress has no alliance with the AIUDF, clarifying that there have been no discussions with the party regarding either the Assembly or Rajya Sabha elections.

“We have clearly stated earlier that there is no understanding with the AIUDF. Everyone knows the number of MLAs Congress has. Given the present arithmetic, we have not discussed any arrangement related to the Rajya Sabha elections,” he said.

The New Delhi meeting, reportedly attended by key Assam Congress leaders including Rakibul Hussain, focused on resolving differences and charting a united strategy.

Gogoi’s remarks also appeared to counter recent positions taken by regional leaders such as Akhil Gogoi and Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who have publicly outlined their expectations from the alliance.

By emphasising sacrifice, the Congress leader signalled that while the party is willing to adopt a flexible stance, it expects a similar commitment from its partners.

Despite the meeting, no formal breakthrough was announced, indicating that negotiations remain ongoing.