Congress Unveils Election Strategy in Assam, Excludes AIUDF and Vows to Defeat BJP

Image Source: Internet

The Congress party has announced its plan to contest 100 out of 126 assembly seats in Assam for the upcoming polls. In a bid to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said the party will form alliances with like-minded parties, excluding the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which he termed as 'communal'. The AIUDF, which has traditionally enjoyed a strong base among Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, has seen a decline in its support base. The party failed to win any seats in the 2024 national polls, and its chief, Badruddin Ajmal, lost his seat after three terms. Muslims account for 34% of Assam's population. Gogoi, the deputy leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, accused the BJP of creating unrest and division in the state. He promised to restore dignity to the people of Assam and revive the inclusive and harmonious vision of icons like Bhupen Hazarika and Zubeen Garg. Gogoi pledged to ensure strict action against those spreading religious hatred and vowed to provide benefits to every eligible person, regardless of their political affiliation. He accused the BJP government of failing to fulfill its promises over the last 10 years and said that the party's welfare schemes benefited everyone during its previous rule. The Congress is in talks with parties such as the Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, the Communist Party of India, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for an alliance for the 2026 polls. Gogoi's father, former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, ruled the state for 15 years, and he claimed that the poor benefited during that period. The Congress is seeking to regain power in Assam and restore the state's inclusive and harmonious image.