‘No alliance yet’: Akhil Gogoi slams Congress over seat confusion after 4-hour talks

Akhil Gogoi, on March 19, expressed sharp disappointment over stalled alliance talks with the Congress, alleging a lack of clarity and approval from the party’s central leadership after a prolonged four-hour meeting.

Addressing the media, the Raijor Dal leader said it was “surprising” that the Congress had publicly claimed to have offered 13 seats to his party, while internally those seats had not yet been approved by the All India Congress Committee (AICC). He said the deadlock persisted as the Assam Congress leadership is yet to consult Rahul Gandhi on the matter.

Gogoi further alleged inconsistencies in the seat-sharing proposal, stating that even within the 13-seat framework, Congress asked Raijor Dal to negotiate on certain constituencies. He pointed out that the Congress changed its stance on the Gauripur Assembly seat, expressing reluctance to concede it and instead offering Mancachar or Algapur as alternative “friendly” seats.

Highlighting Raijor Dal’s position, Gogoi said his party had proposed a total of 15 seats to the Congress, including Naoboicha and Dhemaji, which are still pending approval. He added that Gaurav Gogoi informed them that the matter regarding the 13 seats would be taken up with the AICC, and a final decision on the remaining two seats would follow once approval is secured.

With key issues unresolved, the much-anticipated alliance between Congress and Raijor Dal remains uncertain ahead of the Assam Assembly elections.