Akhil Gogoi urges unified opposition to oust BJP in Assam’s 2026 polls

Raijor Dal leader and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi issued a rallying call for opposition unity to unseat the BJP in the upcoming 2026 Assam Assembly elections. Speaking at a membership drive event in North Salmara, Bongaigaon, Gogoi said that Raijor Dal was established to challenge the ruling party's influence in Assam.

Gogoi highlighted his dissatisfaction with Congress’s inconsistent stance on opposing the BJP, despite party leader Rahul Gandhi’s expressed commitment to a united front. However, he noted a shared ambition to counter the BJP’s dominance. “Assam’s people will reject both the BJP and AIUDF,” he said adding that voters would metaphorically “throw them into the Brahmaputra and drive them towards Bangladesh.” Gogoi further accused the BJP of using coercion and inducement tactics to gain support—methods he claimed had lost their impact on Assam’s indigenous communities.

On the upcoming by-elections, Gogoi said that Raijor Dal has chosen to stay quiet in most constituencies but is intent on challenging the BJP in Behali. He also criticized Congress’s approach to coalition-building, accusing the party of betraying opposition solidarity due to the "arrogance" of its leader Gaurav Gogoi. He insisted that any alliance with Congress would have to be on Raijor Dal’s terms, firmly dismissing any notion of compromise with Congress’s “conditions.”

In a strong condemnation of political dynasties, Gogoi criticized former legislators for fielding family members as candidates, citing constituencies such as Bongaigaon and Samaguri. “We live in a democracy, not a monarchy,” he said.