Raijor Dal chief, Akhil Gogoi, accuses Congress leaders of arrogance and shifting promises in seat-sharing talks ahead of Assam polls
Guwahati: Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi levelled serious allegations against the Indian National Congress (INC), claiming that the party’s conduct during alliance negotiations amounted to a “historical betrayal” and caused considerable political damage to his party ahead of the upcoming elections in Assam.
Addressing the media in Sivasagar, Gogoi said his party had participated in alliance discussions with sincerity but was left waiting for weeks without clarity. “Congress kept us waiting for nearly 45 days during alliance talks. This delay severely affected Raijor Dal’s preparations for the elections,” he said.
Gogoi further claimed that around fifteen constituencies were initially discussed during negotiations, but the commitments made by Congress leaders kept changing. “Seats that were earlier promised were later withdrawn or altered at the last moment. This created confusion and showed a lack of sincerity in the talks,” he stated.
Targeting senior Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi and Rakibul Hussain, he alleged that arrogance within the party leadership ultimately led to the breakdown of the alliance. “The alliance collapsed because of arrogance and inconsistency. Certain leaders had no real intention of giving Raijor Dal fair representation,” Gogoi said.
Despite the collapse of the alliance talks, Gogoi said Raijor Dal has decided not to field a candidate against Gaurav Gogoi. “We deliberately avoided contesting against him to ensure opposition votes are not divided while focusing on defeating the BJP,” he added.
He also criticised the Election Commission of India over the election schedule, saying, “Covering all constituencies within such a short period will be extremely difficult for opposition parties.”
Gogoi expressed confidence about his party’s prospects, stating that Raijor Dal would strengthen its support base in Sivasagar and that candidates from the AGP or the BJP would face defeat in the constituency. He also announced plans to lay the foundation stone for a new Assembly building in Sivasagar to improve local infrastructure and public facilities.
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