Congress Faces Internal Turmoil Over Seat Allocation in Assam

Protests Erupt Over Sarupathar Seat Decision

Golaghat, Feb 26: Tensions escalated at Abarta Bhawan in Golaghat on Thursday following Congress's reported agreement to allocate nine seats to the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) in preparation for the 2026 Assembly elections.

Members of the Congress party expressed their dissatisfaction with Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Gaurav Gogoi regarding the decision to relinquish the Sarupathar constituency to the AJP.

A large number of party supporters gathered to protest, voicing their strong disapproval of the leadership's choice.

They claimed that ceding the Sarupathar seat to the AJP has left grassroots workers disheartened, as they have invested significant effort in establishing the party's presence in the area.

Chanting slogans like “Sarupathar kar? Congress’r” (Whose is Sarupathar? Congress’), the demonstrators confronted the APCC chief, demanding an immediate reversal of the decision.

One protestor stated, “How can we continue our work if such decisions are made without consulting the grassroots? We cannot accept this.”

The protesters accused the leadership of disregarding the opinions of local workers. In a show of defiance, some members threatened to publicly shave their heads if the decision remains unchanged.

They warned, “If this decision is not reversed, our protests will escalate. Thousands are prepared to shave their heads, and Gaurav Gogoi will be held responsible.”

The demonstrators emphasized that Congress has a robust organizational presence in Sarupathar and argued that conceding the seat to the AJP would undermine the party's future.

One member remarked, “Our workers have tirelessly built this foundation, and we believe we can defeat the BJP here. We cannot surrender this constituency to another party. Gaurav Gogoi has not made a final decision and mentioned that the issue will be discussed. We will wait for one night. If our demands are not met, thousands will shave their heads.”

In response, Gaurav Gogoi, who launched the third phase of the party’s Samay Parivartan Yatra in Golaghat on Thursday, acknowledged the sentiments of the workers.

He stated, “We understand their emotions and will not allow their determination to wane. As the Pradesh Congress, we stand with our workers.”

This situation has intensified political tensions in Sarupathar and Golaghat, with all eyes now on how Congress will address the rising discontent among its members.