Akhil Gogoi Warns Congress: Contesting By-Polls Alone is Foolhardy

Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal Chief, Akhil Gogoi, has condemned the Congress party's decision to contest the upcoming by-elections independently.

Speaking to reporters in Assam’s Bongaigaon, Gogoi highlighted the futility of such a move, saying, "If the Congress party thinks of contesting the upcoming by-elections in the state alone, then the Congress is living in a fool's paradise.”

He continued, “It would be a historic mistake on the part of the Congress if it thought it would go it alone in the by-polls."

Expressing his disapproval of the Congress's perceived arrogance, Gogoi remarked, "If the Congress has gained arrogance after receiving a small response from the people because of the unity of the opposition in the Lok Sabha elections, then the Raijor Dal will give them an appropriate counter-answer in the upcoming by-elections."

Evidently so, his statement signals a potential escalation in political rivalry between the two parties.

Gogoi's remarks come in response to Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah's announcement on Tuesday that the party would contest all five Assembly seats where by-polls will be held.

Borah stated that this decision was made during a meeting chaired by AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh with district-level party leaders on Monday.

Reaffirming the party's stance, Borah took to X to post, "@INCAssam would contest all the 5 seats where byelections would be held. We would constitute 5 teams of senior leaders who would reach out to the grassroots."

The announcement of bypoll dates by the Election Commission is awaited.

The Assembly seats going to polls are - Samaguri, Behali, Dholai, Sidli, and Bongaigaon - which became vacant after incumbents were elected to the Lok Sabha, with Samaguri being the only seat previously held by Congress.

Also Read: Assam Congress to Contest All 5 Bypoll Seats, Affirms State Chief Bhupen Borah