Guwahati: Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi has reiterated that his party will contest 15 assembly seats, including Dhing and Borchola, where MLA Sibamoni Bora and Assam PCC election management committee chairman Ripun Bora are keen to contest, complicating efforts to finalise opposition seat-sharing in Assam.Congress sources said on Monday that talks are progressing, but Akhil warned that Congress will be routed in its former stronghold of upper Assam and in several minority-dominated seats in lower Assam if Raijor Dal is excluded from the Congress-led alliance.
“If Congress betrays us like in 2021 and break opposition unity, who will vote for Congress?” Akhil questioned. He said Congress should relinquish the 15 seats for Raijor Dal happily.In New Delhi on Monday, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia said the opposition alliance is moving in a “positive direction” ahead of the Assam polls. Saikia, however, said seat-sharing discussions are underway with the Raijor Dal President for two to three constituencies.Addressing the media during a screening committee meeting at Indira Bhawan, Gaurav Gogoi said negotiations with Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), Raijor Dal, APHLC and Left parties are continuing and have been “extremely positive”.CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said Congress-AJP unity is nearly settled, with Congress expected to leave Khowang, Barhampur, Sadiya and Binnakandi for AJP. He said APHLC would receive two seats in Karbi Anglong, CPM two seats, and CPI-ML one seat as per the seat-sharing deal. “Congress has not been able to come to an understanding with Raijor Dal. We wish that Congress also takes Raijor Dal in their alliance,” Sarma said.AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi is expected to contest from Khowang, while Akhil is set to fight again from Sivasagar, which he currently represents. Congress has already declared it will contest 100 of Assam’s 126 seats.Saikia said the screening committee is reviewing aspirants’ names, but the Election Committee will take the final call. “No name is finalised so far. In some constituencies, only one or two names are proposed,” he said.He also said misinformation is circulating in Assam about whether a deal with Raijor Dal has been reached. “There are rumours that discussions with Raijor Dal ended. I do not know who is spreading such misinformation. I urge everyone not to pay heed to such propaganda. Discussions are ongoing; no final decision is taken yet. Akhil Gogoi is in touch regarding several constituencies. Efforts are being made to reach a consensus as far as possible,” he added.
