Panchayat polls: Raijor Dal to go solo in Sivasagar as seat-sharing with Congress fails
Raijor Dal offered Congress two Zilla Parishad seats in Sivasagar, but Congress failed to respond or clarify;
Senior Raijor Dal leader Anup Borpatra Gohain addressing the media
Sivasagar, April 17: The Raijor Dal has accused the Congress party of sabotaging opposition unity in Sivasagar ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections, following a breakdown in seat-sharing negotiations between the two parties.
Addressing the press at the party office in Babupatti on Thursday, senior Raijor Dal leader Anup Borpatra Gohain announced that the party will now contest independently under its “Akela Chalo” policy.
Gohain revealed that Raijor Dal had initially offered two of the six Zilla Parishad seats under the Sivasagar constituency to the Congress, with the intention of forming a united opposition front. However, the Congress failed to respond or clarify its position, and instead fielded candidates for all six seats, effectively bypassing any alliance efforts.
“We reached out in good faith. Akhil Gogoi personally sent a letter to Congress leaders, including Bhupen Bora and Gaurav Gogoi, urging them to engage in dialogue to prevent a split in the anti-BJP vote. We even tried to speak with their local representative in Sivasagar. But their silence speaks volumes. Their actions have betrayed our attempt at unity,” said Gohain.
The letter sent to Congress
Gohain further alleged that internal conflicts within the Congress may have contributed to the collapse of talks. “We have learned that Subhomitra Gogoi misled his party members, saying if they reach out to Gaurav Gogoi, he would lose his post. This internal power struggle and arrogance have insulted our party and the spirit of opposition unity,” Gohain said.
The letter sent to Congress
The Raijor Dal has also alleged that by refusing to work with them, the Congress is indirectly aiding the BJP. “This decision by the Congress only weakens the fight against the corrupt BJP government. But we are not deterred. We will fight alone and we will fight with full strength,” said Gohain.
The development marks a significant setback for opposition unity in Assam’s Sivasagar region and signals a potentially fractured challenge to the ruling BJP in the forthcoming rural elections.