Assam Congress takes fight to villages with outreach drive; CM casts doubt on move
APCC president Gaurav Gogoi said the drive aims to take the Congress leadership to every village across the state
Gaurav Gogoi addressing party workers at Rajiv Bhawan, on Tuesday. (Photo:@INCAssam/X)
Guwahati, Dec 16: In line with the Congress’s preparations for the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) will kick off its primary outreach programme, Raijor Padulit Raijor Congress, from December 20.
Announcing the initiative, APCC president Gaurav Gogoi told the press on Tuesday that the drive aims to take the Congress leadership to every village across the state.
“Immediately after the conclusion of the Winter Session of Parliament, we have decided to get down to work on the ground,” Gogoi said.
The outreach programme was first announced at a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), chaired by Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh, at Rajiv Bhavan on November 12. The initiative is aimed at bridging the gap between politicians and the people.
As part of the drive, the APCC has launched a dedicated website, www.natunaxom.com, inviting the public to send in suggestions to the party.
“Through the website, we will be able to collect suggestions from people digitally. Suggestions have initially been sought from students to improve the education sector,” Gogoi said.
The announcement comes two weeks after the state unit’s top leadership attended a review meeting on the 2026 poll preparations with All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.
Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed scepticism over the campaign’s credibility, questioning whether it would pose any challenge to the BJP’s election preparations.
“They will only be able to visit someone’s porch with an invitation. Will the people of Assam invite them, or are they preparing uninvited visits? There is no possibility of people inviting the Congress,” Sarma claimed, while speaking to the press on the sidelines of a beneficiary scheme distribution event at Lumding.
Meanwhile, the united Opposition front, Asom Sonmilito Morcha, is preparing a roadmap for the 2026 electoral battle, with a focus on seat-sharing.
Addressing speculation around Opposition unity, Gaurav Gogoi said discussions were being carried out away from the public eye.
“Only after discussions are concluded can anything be officially stated regarding alliances,” he said, adding that the upcoming elections “will not be easy for the BJP”.