Minister Atul Bora Predicts Congress Rout in Assam Panchayat Polls

Guwahati:As campaigning intensifies for the upcoming Panchayat elections in Assam, state Cabinet Minister and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader Atul Bora launched a scathing critique of the Congress party, forecasting a major electoral defeat for the opposition.Addressing a public rally, Bora claimed that the people of Assam have distanced themselves from the Congress party on both emotional and political fronts. “The funeral procession of the Congress will begin after the Panchayat elections,” he declared, asserting that the grassroots electorate is firmly backing the BJP-led alliance.Bora credited the ruling BJP-AGP coalition, often referred to as a "double-engine government" — signifying the BJP's presence at both state and central levels — for driving rapid developmental progress across the state. He urged voters to extend their support to the alliance in local governance as well, suggesting that the formation of Panchayat bodies under the coalition would lead to even faster development. “With a triple-engine government, Assam will move ahead even more swiftly,” he said, referring to a cohesive governance structure at village, state, and national levels.Taking a dig at Assam Congress president Bhupen Bora, Atul Bora dismissed his comments, stating, “I have no reply to Bhupen Bora. He changes his statements every other day.” The AGP leader implied that the Congress leadership in the state lacked consistency and credibility.Bora also took aim at Raijor Dal leader and MLA Akhil Gogoi, claiming that his party was essentially an offshoot of the Congress. “Raijor Dal is nothing but a political extension of Congress. I do not even consider it a real political party,” he said, undermining the legitimacy of Gogoi’s outfit.The sharp remarks come amid a high-stakes campaign season where local body elections are expected to set the tone for broader political alignments ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. With the ruling alliance pushing its development narrative and the opposition struggling to regroup, the Panchayat polls are shaping up to be a critical test of public sentiment at the grassroots level.