United Opposition inevitable ahead of Assam Polls: APCC chief Gaurav Gogoi

Guwahati, Jan 21: Expressing confidence over the formation of a pre-poll alliance among Opposition political parties in the ensuing Assam Legislative Assembly elections, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday asserted that no force can prevent a united opposition alliance.

“Discussions and deliberations on alliance formation are under way at different levels, and we will finalize the same soon. It is conclusive that we will form the alliance and no factor can deter us from the path,” Gogoi said, while addressing a press conference in the presence of senior observers appointed by AICC for the 2026 Assembly Election, Bhupesh Baghel and Bandhu Tirkey, along with other senior leaders of the party at Manabendra Sharma Complex here.

Asserting that there is no clash among the leaders of the party, Gogoi said that the people of the State want a change in government due to the widespread corruption of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“There is no conflict among our leaders. But recently, we witnessed a clash between Himanta Biswa Sarma and Sarbananda Sonowal. Even the Chief Minister Sarma raised allegations of corruption during the tenure of the previous Sonowal-led government in Assam. An attempt is under way to eliminate Sonowal from the picture of Assam’s politics. Now one must criticize Sarbananda Sonowal to get close to Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Gogoi alleged.

The APCC president also raised the allegation of the elimination of names of voters from the electoral rolls as per instructions of the ruling party. Gogoi appealed to the ECI to give adequate scope to all the voters, who are under scrutiny, to place their claims.

Addressing the media, senior Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel remarked that the unprecedented corruption of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will lead to the end of double engine government in the Centre and in Assam.

“Corruption of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is the major issue for this election. Earlier, the BJP had also levelled a number of corruption charges against him. But the party later denied the allegations, after Himanta joined the BJP,” Baghel said.

“In this election, Debabrata Saikia and Gaurav Gogoi will lead the party from the front. We will announce our agenda for the ensuing elections soon,” he added.

Bandhu Tirkey, in his address, noted that people of Assam are now frustrated over the “culture of corruption” under the present State Government.

“The people of Assam will not give a second chance to the BJP in this election. In the election campaign, we will highlight the misdeeds of Himanta Biswa Sarma before the voters,” he said.