Raijor Dal Bongaigaon Unit Resigns En Masse With Bypolls Ahead

Ahead of bypolls in Assam's Bongaigaon constituency, Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal, part of the Asom Sonmilito Morcha, or the united opposition front, has been jolted by significant resignations. On Thursday, the entire Bongaigaon district unit of the regional party resigned en masse.

This follows the resignation of Raijor Dal secretary Ratul Das from his post earlier today, citing ideological differences in his resignation letter to party president Akhil Gogoi.

Bongaigaon district president Dipak Das informed about the mass resignation, blaming it on Akhil Gogoi's "authoritarianism". The decision was taken after Raijor Dal decided to leave the Bongaigaon constituency for the Congress, he said, stating that he would be contesting as an independent candidate in the coming by-elections.

Earlier in the day, Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi launched a fierce critique of the Congress party, following the announcement of Jayanta Borah as the Congress candidate for the Behali constituency in the upcoming by-polls. He branded the decision a "historic betrayal" of the Congress, describing it as a "stab in the back" to its political allies of the Asom Sonmilito Morcha (ASOM).

The controversy erupted after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge approved Borah's nomination late Wednesday, effectively resolving the deadlock over the Behali seat. This decision has heightened political tensions in Assam, with many perceiving Congress's move as a significant undermining of the opposition alliance.

In response to inquiries from reporters about the potential fractures within the opposition due to the Behali controversy, Akhil Gogoi did not hold back. "This is a historic betrayal by the Congress," he asserted. "They’ve done it before, and they’re doing it again. After promising 15 political parties, including ours, that the candidate for Behali would be chosen from the alliance, they have now nominated someone who remains aligned with the BJP and was only brought into Congress at the last minute."

Also Read: Assam: Amid Internal Strife, 34 Bongaigaon AGP Members Resign