Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi has intensified his political attack ahead of the upcoming elections by branding the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) as the “B-team” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He issued this statement during a press interaction in Guwahati, where he accused the AIUDF of colluding with the ruling party under the guise of opposition. He said the people of Assam would no longer fall for what he termed the “theatrics of opposition unity,” as the AIUDF’s intentions had now become crystal clear.
Gogoi emphasized that his party would not form an alliance with the AIUDF under any circumstances. He described the AIUDF’s actions in the assembly and on the ground as proof of their tacit understanding with the BJP. He argued that by fielding candidates selectively in constituencies that traditionally weaken the Congress and other secular parties, the AIUDF had played into the hands of the BJP. He said his party would expose this duplicity and present a clear alternative to voters in Assam.
Gogoi also laid out his selective poll strategy, which, he said, aimed at defeating the BJP through targeted campaigns in key constituencies. He revealed that Raijor Dal would contest a limited number of seats, concentrating its efforts where it held strong grassroots support. He claimed this approach would maximize the anti-BJP vote rather than split it, as had happened in the past when opposition parties contested against each other in a scattered manner.
He reiterated that his party’s electoral strategy was driven by the need to prevent further communal polarization in Assam. He accused both the BJP and the AIUDF of playing religious cards to divide communities for electoral gains. He said the only way to defeat such forces was to engage in grassroots organizing, issue-based campaigning, and consistent public outreach, all of which Raijor Dal had undertaken in the past two years.
Responding to queries about possible post-poll alliances, Gogoi made it clear that his party would not enter into any arrangement that compromised its core values. He said Raijor Dal had emerged from a people’s movement and would continue to represent the interests of farmers, workers, and students rather than chase power through opportunistic partnerships. He claimed that the electorate had matured and now recognized the difference between genuine opposition and those merely pretending to oppose.
Gogoi also slammed the Congress party for its indecision and internal conflicts, which, according to him, weakened the larger opposition movement in Assam. He urged the Congress leadership to act decisively and refrain from accommodating parties like the AIUDF, which, he said, had repeatedly betrayed public trust.
He warned voters to be alert to “cosmetic campaigns” that promised change but offered no structural shift in governance. He said Raijor Dal’s manifesto would focus on people-centric development, preservation of Assam’s indigenous identity, and policies aimed at equitable economic growth.
During the press interaction, Gogoi also questioned the silence of national media on key regional issues affecting Assam. He criticized what he described as the “Delhi-centric narrative,” which, he argued, often ignored the concerns of the northeastern states unless they served a national political agenda. He promised that if elected, Raijor Dal would fight for greater visibility and voice for Assam in the national discourse.
As the election season heats up, Akhil Gogoi’s statements have added fresh momentum to the political narrative in Assam. By directly targeting the AIUDF and distancing himself from broader opposition coalitions, Gogoi has chosen a clear, confrontational path. Whether this strategy yields results or further fragments the anti-BJP vote remains to be seen, but the Raijor Dal leader has ensured that his party remains firmly in the spotlight.
Gogoi further expanded his criticism of the AIUDF by pointing to its voting record in the Assam Legislative Assembly. He claimed that on multiple crucial occasions, the AIUDF had either remained absent or voted in ways that ultimately benefited the BJP. He called these actions “calculated betrayals” and suggested that the AIUDF had quietly enabled the ruling party’s policies under the pretext of safeguarding minority interests. According to him, this pattern had emerged consistently since 2021 and could no longer be ignored.
He also addressed young voters, asking them to scrutinize the track records of all political parties before making a choice. He argued that Raijor Dal remained the only party that had emerged directly from people’s struggles without corporate or elite funding. He said the youth of Assam deserved employment, education reforms, and dignified participation in governance—goals that his party had prioritized since its formation. He claimed that the older parties had repeatedly failed the younger generation by recycling outdated promises and power-sharing deals.
Highlighting his roots in activism, Gogoi reminded people of the anti-CAA protests and Raijor Dal’s role in standing up against what he called “unconstitutional laws.” He warned that unless voters chose ideologically committed leaders, Assam would continue to suffer under centralized policies that did not reflect local aspirations. He promised that Raijor Dal would push for greater autonomy in decision-making and more transparent governance mechanisms at the state level.
Gogoi also turned his attention to economic concerns, particularly rural distress and the rising cost of living. He blamed the BJP-led government for widening inequality in the state and prioritizing urban infrastructure over rural needs. He said the government had done little to support farmers, artisans, and small traders, and accused the AIUDF of maintaining silence on these issues. He promised that Raijor Dal would introduce targeted interventions for rural livelihoods and focus on decentralized development.