Alliance on the brink: Akhil Gogoi warns Congress over seat sharing deadlock

The alliance between the Congress and Raijor Dal appears to be on the verge of collapse, with Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi issuing a sharp warning over unresolved seat-sharing differences ahead of the upcoming elections.

Speaking to the media, Gogoi said his party has decided to write to the Congress “for the last time” regarding the alliance and expressed hope that the response would be positive. 

He indicated growing frustration within Raijor Dal over what he described as a lack of clarity and consistency from the Congress leadership.

Gogoi revealed that a screening committee has been constituted by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), and that he, along with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and other leaders from both parties, participated in discussions. 
However, he claimed that the factors initially agreed upon during the meeting had “gone off track,” leaving him dissatisfied with the progress of negotiations.

The Raijor Dal leader asserted that his party has demanded 15 seats in the proposed alliance arrangement, but alleged that the Congress is adamant about contesting 100 seats. “If Congress takes 100 seats and everything goes according to them, how will an alliance function? We should also be able to win a few seats,” he said.

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He further claimed that the issue is not limited to the number of seats but also concerns the specific constituencies being allocated. According to Gogoi, Raijor Dal has so far received only four constituencies of its choice. “If we do not get 15 seats and the constituencies we desire, how will this alliance work?” he questioned.

Gogoi also accused the Congress of constantly introducing new faces in constituencies that Raijor Dal considers strategically important, thereby complicating the prospects of a cohesive alliance.

On the question of minority-dominated seats, Gogoi said his party has sought three such seats independently and two more within the alliance framework, but alleged that Congress is offering only one. He claimed that Raijor Dal has undertaken substantial work in minority-dominated areas and argued that it would be unfair to treat all such seats as the exclusive domain of the Congress.

While stating that he believes Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are keen on ensuring the alliance materialises, Gogoi urged the APCC leadership to align with that objective. He warned that unless there is a meaningful course correction, the proposed alliance may not survive the ongoing seat-sharing impasse.