The Congress-led united opposition in Assam has formally committed to contesting the upcoming state Assembly elections as a unified front, vowing to jointly campaign on what they describe as widespread corruption within the BJP-led ruling coalition.
The resolution came out of a multi-party meeting held in Guwahati, attended by leaders from the Congress, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), and the Autonomous People's Hill League of Cherापani (APHLC).
Notably absent from the gathering was Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, though alliance discussions with his party — along with CPI and CPI(ML) — are said to be continuing separately.
Also Read: Congress Releases 1st List; Gaurav Gogoi to Fight from Jorhat
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi indicated at the press conference that Assembly elections in the state could be held before Rongali Bihu, which falls in April.
Explaining the timing of the alliance, he said the campaign that should have started earlier was delayed because each party was focused on strengthening its own organisation. "But now it has become necessary to come together and take these issues to the public. That is why we have united today," he said.
Gogoi confirmed that the opposition parties will jointly launch a statewide campaign and will meet after the press conference to identify venues for public meetings.
In one of the sharper remarks of the press conference, Gogoi said that several MLAs from the AIUDF had approached Congress seeking membership — and were turned away.
"We clearly told them that the Congress cannot accept legislators from a communal party. But the BJP welcomed them," he said.
The comment appeared to be a pointed dig at the BJP's political alliances, framing Congress's refusal as a matter of principle.
When asked about Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's reported statement that the BJP would field a candidate from an ordinary family against Gaurav Gogoi in Jorhat, the APCC president fired back.
"The ordinary people of Assam are ready to defeat him this time," Gogoi said. "In the last 25 years, he has accumulated all the wealth he wanted. Now the people have decided to give him a proper farewell."
AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi set a combative tone, framing the alliance's launch as the beginning of a mission to unseat the BJP.
"Our journey begins today with the objective of defeating the BJP. In the coming days, we will go to the people and inform them how the BJP government has pushed Assam into a grave situation over the last ten years," he said. "With the support of the people, we will remove the BJP from power."
CPI(M) leader Suprakash Talukdar and APHLC president John Ingti Kathar also addressed the press meet, lending further weight to the coalition's show of unity.