"Dear Gaurav Gogoi, start from Dhubri instead of Jorhat": Pijush Hazarika mocks Congress leader over rally turnout

Assam BJP Minister Pijush Hazarika on June 1, mocked Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi in a sarcastic social media post while giving him a 'friendly advice' on how to relaunch his political journey.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Hazarika said, “Dear @GauravGogoiAsm, just a small piece of friendly advice—if you are planning to relaunch your political career, maybe start from Dhubri instead of Jorhat.” He continued with a mocking crowd-size chart, stating: “Jorhat: 500, Nagaon: 5,000, Barpeta: 10,000, Dhubri: 50,000,” suggesting that Gogoi should reverse his route to “start strong and end on a high.” Hazarika concluded his post with a light jab: “Just trying to help you optimise your political debut as @INCAssam president. You’re welcome 😊.”

This jibe came just hours after Gaurav Gogoi, the newly-appointed president of Assam Congress, launched a scathing attack on the ruling BJP during his mass outreach rally from Sivasagar to Nagaon. Gogoi accused the BJP of being obsessed with “power, money, land, and syndicate,” instead of addressing the critical issue of floods that have disrupted lives in Guwahati and nearby areas.

Speaking to the media in Sivasagar, Gogoi said, “This government is deeply rooted in greed. Floods have caused chaos in Guwahati, and yet the ruling party is focused on land grabbing and building flyovers for select contractors.” He blamed poor drainage, wetland encroachments, and unplanned construction for the flooding crisis, and specifically mentioned areas near Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah’s residence as examples of alleged encroachment and misuse of authority.

The Congress leader, who is also the Deputy Leader of the party in the Lok Sabha, further vowed to expose widespread corruption in the urban development departments. “We will uncover one case after another. Corruption in Guwahati’s development schemes is just the beginning,” he said.

Gogoi’s remarks came during his 250-kilometre-long roadshow that began in Sivasagar. He visited temples, paid tributes to historical icons, and was greeted by supporters across districts including Jorhat, Golaghat, and Charaideo. Despite the BJP’s taunts, Congress claimed enthusiastic turnouts in various towns and villages.

According to a Congress spokesperson, the rally will cover 18 assembly constituencies over three days. Gogoi plans to halt in Nagaon for the night before reaching Guwahati, where he will meet party workers and hold discussions at the Congress headquarters.