AJP–Rahul Gandhi meeting sparks hopes of united opposition in Assam

Guwahati, August 12: The Assam Jatiya Parishad’s (AJP) meeting with Leaders of the Opposition, including Rahul Gandhi, in Delhi on Tuesday has awakened hopes of forging a united opposition front in Assam ahead of the looming polls.

The meeting, attended by AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi, senior leaders Jagadish Bhuyan, Ziaur Rahman, and Chittaranjan Basumatary brought the regional party face-to-face with top Congress leaders, including Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Gaurav Gogoi.

Congress MPs Rakibul Hussain and Pradyut Bordoloi were also present at the meeting that reportedly went on for half-an-hour.

Gaurav Gogoi described the interaction as “fruitful” and significant in the context of Assam’s political climate.

“We discussed crucial issues such as implementation of the Assam Accord, the implications of the NRC process, the CAA protests, and the growing atrocities under the BJP government. The discussion reflected Rahul Gandhi’s deep concern for Assam, its people, and its future,” he said.

The AJP, formed in the wake of the CAA protests, viewed today’s meeting as a step toward highlighting Assam’s key issues in Parliament and countering the BJP’s dominance in the state.

"We met Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition to urge him to raise Assam’s critical issues, including the Accord implementation and land rights, in Parliament. On forming a united Opposition front, we told him that to prevent further harm to the state’s social fabric by the BJP, all Opposition parties must come together,” AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi told The Assam Tribune.

Meanwhile, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi said that, while he was only aware that AJP leaders were supposed to meet Rahul Gandhi to brief him about the situation in Assam, he wasn't aware of any other details.

He expressed hope that such discussions should ideally include all opposition parties.

“If the aim is to challenge the BJP effectively, it should be done together, with every opposing party at the table. Beyond the issue of selective and communal evictions, we must jointly address pressing matters like drought and price rise. While we have our differences with Congress, removing BJP from power requires us to work together,” he remarked.

The engagement between AJP and the Congress could mark the first step toward a revamped opposition alliance in Assam, where fragmented anti-BJP forces have struggled to make a collective impact in recent years.