Like Mughals at Saraighat, Himanta Biswa Sarma’s arrogance will fall in 2026 election: Gaurav Gogoi

Congress president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on January 19 launched a sharp attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging arrogance, land grab involving indigenous communities, and manipulation of electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Addressing the media at Rajiv Bhavan in Balukdubi area of Goalpara town, Gogoi said history has shown that arrogance inevitably leads to downfall, drawing a parallel between the defeat of the Mughals in the Battle of Saraighat and what he described as the impending political decline of the present Assam government.

Earlier, Gogoi paid floral tributes to the statues of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg at the Congress office. Speaking thereafter, he accused the BJP government of repeatedly claiming to protect indigenous people while, in reality, allegedly dispossessing tribal communities, particularly the Rabhas, of their land.

“The BJP government has turned indigenous land into a business and a syndicate. The maximum land of the indigenous Rabha people has been taken during the BJP rule. This entire land syndicate is being run under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with his ministers and MLAs,” Gogoi alleged. He said more details would be exposed in the coming days and urged people to remain vigilant, asserting that Congress stands with the people.

Claiming that only Congress can ensure genuine land protection, Gogoi said that whether it is land along highways or in riverine char areas, Congress alone is capable of safeguarding the land rights of indigenous communities if voted to power.

Referring to the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, the Congress leader said the people would witness the fall of arrogance, just as history records the downfall of rulers driven by hubris. “Just as Mughal arrogance collapsed at Saraighat, the arrogance of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is heading towards defeat in the next election,” he said.

Gogoi also raised concerns over the Special Revision of electoral rolls in Assam, alleging that the BJP fears a fair vote by the Assamese people. “The BJP knows that if genuine voters cast their votes, its defeat is certain. That is why in some places people are being brought from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and included in voter lists, while in other places Assamese voters are being deprived of their voting rights,” he alleged. Questioning the ruling party’s claims of popularity, Gogoi asked why there was a need to “tamper” with voter lists if the BJP had indeed done good work.

The programme was attended by local Congress leaders and workers, with the party reiterating its intent to mobilise people on issues of land rights, indigenous protection, and electoral integrity.