Congress leaders from Assam discuss party strategy ahead of next year's state polls

Top Congress leaders from Assam met here on Thursday to discuss the party's strategy ahead of next year's state polls with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge asserting that people will discard the BJP's politics of "corruption" and "division in the elections. 

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was among those who attended the meeting at the party's Indira Bhawan headquarters. 

AICC general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal, AICC general secretary in-charge of party affairs in Assam Jitendra Singh, deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Assam Congress chief Bhupen Bora and other state unit leaders were also present. 

During the deliberations, the senior leaders underscored the need for unity and intensifying efforts to oust the BJP. 

Also Read: Assam CM highlights state's historical challenges, pledges economic revival

"In a year, the people of Assam shall discard the politics of corruption, division and vendetta. 3.5 crore people of Assam look towards the Congress to usher in this change. No amount of select-media driven propaganda can shake their resolve for transformation," Kharge said in a post on X. "We chaired an important meeting of @INCAssam leaders at Indira Bhawan, New Delhi, today," he said. 

The Congress is looking to wrest power from the BJP after its 10-year rule in Assam. The elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly are slated for the first half of the next year. The tenure of the current assembly ends on May 20, 2026. 

The Congress has opened a front against the BJP government and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the issue of alleged corruption in the state. On the other hand, Sarma has accused Gogoi's wife of having links with Pakistan and the ISI. 

The Congress has said that Gogoi is being targeted as he has been vocal against the chief minister. The Congress leadership has also convened another meeting of its leaders from Kerala on Friday to discuss the strategy ahead of next year's assembly elections in the southern state. 

This comes days after a newspaper article by Thiruvananthapuram MP and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor drew criticism from some party leaders in Kerala for his perceived praise of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state for boosting the investment climate.