Naduar Congress workers oppose ticket for new entrant Sunil Chetri ahead of 2026 Assam Assembly election

A group of Congress workers and aspirants from the 69–Naduar Assembly constituency in Assam has urged the leadership of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) to reconsider the possible candidature of newly joined leader Sunil Chetri for the upcoming assembly elections.

In a representation submitted to the APCC president, the signatories—describing themselves as long-standing party workers—said that while they welcome Chetri’s entry into the Indian National Congress, the prospect of granting him an immediate party ticket has raised serious concerns among grassroots members of the organisation.

The letter states that local Congress workers have spent nearly a decade rebuilding the party structure in the Naduar constituency amid strong political competition from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. During this period, party cadres allegedly worked to maintain booth-, mandal-, and block-level networks despite limited resources.

According to the representation, awarding a ticket to a recent entrant could demoralise long-time workers who have remained committed to the party through difficult political conditions. The signatories argued that many aspirants have invested years of political effort and personal credibility to sustain the party’s presence in the constituency.

The workers also raised concerns about Chetri’s previous association with the All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union (AAGSU), claiming that several activities of the organisation in recent years appeared politically aligned with the ruling establishment. They said this has raised questions among party workers about the ideological clarity of a sudden shift to the Congress.

The representation further referred to a recent general body meeting of AAGSU reportedly held in Duliajan, where senior Congress leaders from the Gorkha community were allegedly not invited, a development that some workers believe indicates the organisation’s political proximity to the ruling dispensation.

The signatories clarified that their intention is not to oppose any individual personally but to highlight the broader organisational and political implications of candidate selection in a key constituency like Naduar.

They urged the APCC leadership to prioritise candidates with long-term commitment to the party, strong grassroots connections, and ideological consistency, stating that such an approach would strengthen the party’s organisational base and boost worker morale ahead of the elections.

The Congress leadership has not yet issued any official response to the representation.