‘People will vote against communal politics’: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi

The Congress has intensified its campaign against the BJP over alleged communal politics and the use of religion in electoral campaigning ahead of the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election, with Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi raising the issue at a party meeting in Dhing.

Addressing an election meeting organised in Dhing, Gogoi said the electorate would vote against what he described as communal politics. He also linked the message to Batadrava, the birthplace of Vaishnavite saint and reformer Srimanta Sankardeva.

“This time, people will vote against communal politics,” Gogoi said, adding that the message would be sent from Batadrava.

Gogoi also targeted the BJP over its references to Hinduism and levelled allegations concerning the Ram Temple and candidates facing allegations related to cow theft.

“People from the party that talks about Hinduism steal money meant for the Ram Temple, give tickets to people facing allegations of cow theft and make them ministers,” Gogoi said at the meeting.

The remarks came as the Congress stepped up its campaign for party candidate Sibamoni Bora in the Nagaon bypoll. Bora, a former MLA from Batadrava, was named the Congress candidate earlier this month. The by-election is scheduled for October 6, with counting set for October 9.

Gogoi has previously framed the Nagaon contest as a direct political battle with the BJP and has also accused the BJP and AIUDF of having an understanding in the run-up to the bypoll. The BJP and AIUDF have fielded Devasish Sharma and Badruddin Ajmal respectively.

The campaign meeting was also attended by Congress leaders Rakibul Hussain and Wazed Ali Choudhury, who campaigned alongside Bora.

The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi left the party and joined the BJP before subsequently winning the Dispur Assembly seat. The bypoll has emerged as a multi-cornered contest, with 25 candidates filing nominations, including those from the BJP, Congress, AIUDF and Trinamool Congress.