Assam BJP accuses Congress of sidelining Lurinjyoti Gogoi at Delhi rally

The Assam BJP on November 2 accused the Congress leadership of sidelining Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi during the party's rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, alleging that he was denied a place on the main stage and was not given an opportunity to address the gathering.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Monday, BJP spokesperson Ranjib Kumar Sarmah also criticised the Congress's organisational arrangements in Assam, claiming that the party failed to mobilise workers for the Delhi rally despite instructions from its central leadership.

Sarmah alleged that Lurinjyoti Gogoi, a former general secretary of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), was seated in the fourth row of the second stage, while other leaders were given prominent positions on the main stage.

He questioned the Congress leadership's decision, particularly its alleged preference for other political figures, and said the treatment of the AJP president had hurt sentiments in Assam.

The BJP spokesperson also alleged that the Congress had failed to mobilise its district-level organisation for the rally, despite plans to bring at least 3,000 workers from Assam to Delhi by train.

According to Sarmah, district Congress presidents had attempted to contact Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi to coordinate the arrangements but could not reach him.

He claimed that no organisational meetings were held in Assam ahead of the rally and that several district-level leaders eventually decided against travelling to Delhi.

"The Congress party has become completely alienated from the people of Assam," Sarmah said, citing what he described as a poor turnout of party workers from the state at the Ramlila Maidan gathering.

He also questioned the participation of Congress leaders from Dhubri and Jorhat, alleging that they had failed to mobilise workers from their respective constituencies.

The BJP further accused the Congress of promoting dynastic politics at a rally organised under the banner of protecting democracy. Sarmah pointed to the presence of several political leaders from established political families on the main stage, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav.

The allegations come amid political sparring between the BJP and Congress over the latter's organisational strength in Assam and its relationship with regional political parties.