Assam: Bongaigaon Congress urges Gaurav Gogoi to reconsider ex-AAMSU leader's party entry

The reported joining of former All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) president Rezaul Karim Sarkar into the Indian National Congress and the possibility of his candidature from the Srijangram Assembly constituency in the upcoming 2026 Assam Assembly elections has triggered strong unrest within the Bongaigaon District Congress Committee (DCC).
Bongaigaon DCC president Girish Baruah has written a letter to Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi, urging the party leadership to reconsider both Sarkar’s induction and his projection as a prospective candidate, citing serious political and organisational concerns.
In the letter, Baruah stated that while the Congress has consistently upheld inclusiveness and democratic values, such decisions must be evaluated in light of ground-level realities and electoral perceptions, especially in socially sensitive constituencies like Srijangram. He warned that Sarkar’s induction and possible candidature could provide the BJP with an opportunity to renew its criticism of the Congress and push a narrative portraying the party as dependent solely on Muslim leaders and organisations.
The district Congress president cautioned that such a narrative could lead to consolidation of Hindu votes against the Congress, not only in Srijangram but also across other parts of Assam, thereby adversely affecting the party’s electoral prospects.
Baruah further pointed out that during the last Lok Sabha elections, AAMSU workers allegedly acted against the official Congress candidate on the instructions of Sarkar. Despite this, the Congress candidate secured victory with a margin of over 10 lakh votes, which, according to the letter, indicates that Sarkar does not command significant grassroots influence among Congress or allied workers.
Expressing concern over organisational morale, the letter stated that Srijangram LAC is currently considered a strong and favourable constituency for the Congress due to its organisational strength. However, the sudden projection of an “outsider” candidate could demoralise long-standing party workers and create resentment at the booth, block, and MCC levels, potentially weakening the party’s grassroots structure.
The Bongaigaon DCC president also alleged that Sarkar was widely perceived among grassroots workers to have previously functioned under the influence of the ruling establishment and maintained a tacit understanding with senior BJP leaders, a factor that could further damage the Congress’s credibility.
Stating that Sarkar’s induction could provide the BJP with a “strong political weapon” and cause damage to the Congress across Assam, Baruah appealed to the APCC leadership to take any final decision only after extensive consultations with district leaders and grassroots workers who would directly face the electoral consequences.
The representation, Baruah noted, was made in the larger interest of the Indian National Congress, urging the leadership to strike a balance between ideological commitment and electoral realities ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, Rezaul Karim Sarkar has reportedly begun his journey to Guwahati January 10, to formally join the Congress party.