Assam Congress Rebukes Akhil Gogoi for Interference in Party Affairs

Guwahati:The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has firmly responded to recent statements made by Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, accusing him of overstepping boundaries by commenting on internal Congress matters. APCC vice president Mehedi Alam Bora addressed the media on April 20, condemning Gogoi’s remarks as both misleading and factually incorrect.Bora particularly criticized Gogoi’s suggestion of a political connection between Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. “These claims are baseless and create unnecessary public confusion,” he said. Bora emphasized that Akhil Gogoi has no legitimate authority to interfere in the functioning of the Congress party, stating that the party had issued a clear warning to him regarding such interference.Speaking on the political outlook leading up to the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, Bora reaffirmed the Congress’s objective of building a broad alliance of democratic forces to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He noted that alliance talks are still in their early stages and that any definitive agreements would be made closer to the elections. “We are committed to unity, but seat sharing is not our only focus—defeating the BJP is,” he asserted.When questioned about the potential for an opposition coalition during the forthcoming Panchayat polls, Bora dismissed the idea of a statewide anti-BJP front. While he acknowledged that some preliminary talks took place at the district level, he pointed to Akhil Gogoi’s apparent overtures toward the ruling party as evidence of inconsistency. “Despite initial discussions, we noticed Raijor Dal leaning toward the BJP,” Bora stated.In a scathing critique of Raijor Dal’s internal functioning, Bora accused the party of being run in an authoritarian manner, contrasting it with the democratic ethos of the Congress. He further speculated whether Akhil Gogoi was being politically positioned by Chief Minister Sarma in a role similar to that of AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal.“Akhil Gogoi’s erratic behavior only weakens the opposition front,” Bora concluded, accusing him of prioritizing personal interests over collective political goals.