Congress, AJP, CPI(M), APHLC announces joint campaign across Assam

Guwahati, March 6: The opposition alliance in Assam on Friday announced that it will begin a joint campaign across the State in the coming days, as four parties came together to signal a united political front ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.

Addressing a joint press conference in Guwahati on Friday, APCC Chief Gaurav Gogoi said the alliance partners will soon hold coordinated campaign meetings across Assam, stressing that the time ahead of the polls is limited and crucial.

“From the next month, before Bihu, we expect the Assembly elections to be announced. That is why time is very limited. We have only 30 days in hand and these 30 days are extremely important,” Gogoi said.

He said the parties have decided to begin joint campaign meetings at fixed dates and locations across the State.

The parties included, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M).

“Through this meeting we want to convey that in the coming days we will begin joint campaign meetings across Assam. Now is the time for us to step onto the field together,” he said, adding that talks are underway with other parties such as Raijor Dal, Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation and Communist Party of India to expand the alliance.

The Jorhat MP also said the opposition must strengthen its organisational base at the district level and take the discussions held in press conferences directly to the people.

“The discussions we hold together in front of cameras must now reach the people. From today onwards, joint meetings will be held across Upper and Lower Assam and we will carry out the campaign jointly,” he added.

Echoing the sentiment, Lurinjyoti Gogoi of the Assam Jatiya Parishad said the alliance intends to send a strong political message by uniting against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

“Four political parties have come together to send a strong message that we are beginning our journey to defeat the BJP in the 2026 Assembly elections. We are hopeful that more parties will join us in the coming days,” he said.

Lurinjyoti said the alliance would reach out to people across the State and highlight what he described as the impact of the BJP government’s policies on the State’s economy and cultural life over the past decade.

“Our primary goal is to unite and remove the BJP from the soil of Assam,” he said.

Representing the hill-based All Party Hill Leaders Conference, Jones Ingti Kathar alleged that people in Assam’s hill districts have suffered neglect.

“Our first aim is to defeat and eradicate the BJP. It works under the direction of the RSS. People in the plains cannot imagine what is happening in the three hill districts,” he said.

Kathar claimed that tribal communities in the hills are facing deprivation in employment, government services and education.

Meanwhile, Suprakash Talukdar of the CPI(M) said growing public support for the opposition alliance had unsettled the BJP leadership.

“Despite their double-engine government, the Chief Minister now knows what the common people are thinking about the BJP. Today is a good beginning for a united alliance,” Talukdar said.

He also criticised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging that his remarks in political speeches have embarrassed many people from Assam outside the State.

During the interaction, Gogoi also took a swipe at Sarma over the BJP’s alleged political dealings with Badruddin Ajmal and the All India United Democratic Front.

“There is no bigger example of opportunistic politics than how the Chief Minister has taken support from the AIUDF in the Rajya Sabha polls. The same party that he criticised earlier has now become acceptable to him,” Gogoi said.

Responding to questions, Gogoi said the opposition alliance hopes to expand further in the coming days by bringing in additional parties.

“Whether it is CPI(ML), CPI or Raijor Dal, we want to expand the alliance. Talks with various parties are ongoing and will continue,” he added.