Congress-Raijor Dal Alliance in Assam Faces Breakdown Over Seat Disputes
Alliance Negotiations Fail
Guwahati, Mar 8: The anticipated pre-election coalition between Congress and Raijor Dal in Assam has seemingly fallen apart after extensive discussions on seat allocation ended without agreement. The regional party has attributed the breakdown to Congress’ refusal to yield the Dhing Assembly seat located in Nagaon district.
Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi released a statement on Sunday indicating that despite multiple efforts to lower their seat requests, negotiations between the two parties ultimately failed.
Initially, Raijor Dal aimed to contest 27 seats but subsequently reduced their request to 20 and then to 15 to facilitate a compromise with Congress.
“Congress was willing to offer 13 seats, but only four were from our proposed list. We later communicated that we would accept all their stipulations, but insisted on Dhing,” the statement elaborated.
The party noted that the contention over the Dhing constituency became the primary obstacle that hindered the formation of the alliance.
Raijor Dal also expressed disappointment regarding a press conference held by Congress alongside three other opposition parties on March 6, where they were not invited, stating this incident undermined the party’s dignity.
“The way Raijor Dal was excluded from that meeting was profoundly disrespectful. We have noticed that both the verbal and non-verbal cues from APCC president, Gaurav Gogoi, do not indicate support for the alliance,” the statement continued.
Furthermore, the statement accused Raijor Dal of making continuous compromises to forge a united opposition against the BJP, while claiming that Congress attempted to impose its conditions.
“Congress expected us to capitulate, but we stood firm,” the statement asserted.
In contrast, the Congress faction expressed optimism about reaching an agreement with the regional party despite the apparent failure of the discussions.
Mira Borthakur, the Congress candidate from Dispur, mentioned that APCC president Gaurav Gogoi had traveled to New Delhi on Sunday to engage with the party’s central leadership regarding the matter.
“Our leader Gaurav Gogoi is keen on the alliance and has been in discussions with the AICC leadership. We remain hopeful that an alliance will materialize; not just on social media but in practice. Patience is crucial in politics,” Borthakur stated.
She confirmed that Gogoi would consult with the party’s senior leadership in New Delhi before any conclusive decision is made.
Meanwhile, Ramen Borthakur, Raijor Dal’s candidate for the prominent Jalukbari constituency in Kamrup (Metropolitan) district, declared he would withdraw from the race if the alliance with Congress does not come to fruition.
“Should the alliance fail in Assam, I will run from Dispur instead of Jalukbari. We recognize Akhil Gogoi’s determination to defeat the BJP,” Borthakur informed the media.