Hit by defections, Congress heads into elections in Assam amid an apparent leadership vacuum, with state president Gaurav Gogoi arguably the only leader left in the party with statewide reach.
He tells TNIE's Prasanta Mazumdar that he is confident the people of Assam see the Congress alliance as being in a position to fulfil their aspirations and respecting the various communities of the region.
Excerpts:
How optimistic are you about the success of the six-party Opposition alliance and why?
I am very optimistic about the alliance because its effects are evident on the ground. The alliance is not just on paper or between the leaders of the parties, but among all party workers and the entire cadre as they prepare themselves to oust the corrupt Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government. It is one of the biggest and most significant political alliances that Assam, and particularly Upper Assam, has seen in recent times.
Each one of us tried our best to forge this alliance to respect people’s wishes. There has been a major demand for development and decentralisation in Assam to move development beyond Guwahati and address the needs and aspirations of other regions. People today see our alliance as fulfilling that in a true sense, while respecting each community and their specific needs and aspirations.
The demand for ST status by six communities (Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi, Matak, Moran, Tai Ahom and Tea Tribes) is a major issue. Your take?
They have agitated for decades. Multiple committees and a Group of Ministers were formed under the BJP-led governments, but in vain. Uncertainty and mistrust persist among the communities and existing Scheduled Tribes. Assam recently saw widespread protests by various groups, but the CM unilaterally decided that ST recognition cannot be conferred before elections.
But only the Centre can take the decision through transparent engagement, hence the communities have rejected the government’s authoritarian mandate. The need of the hour is an institutional mechanism with representatives from all affected groups, legal experts and demographers to finalise recommendations that can stand judicial scrutiny and secure Parliament’s approval.
What could be the impact of eviction drives and apparent polarisation on Congress in this election?
Eviction has been a central issue. While the incumbent CM has used eviction drives as a populist strategy to polarise, people know it has been done only for optics. The government records show that there have been far more evictions, deportations and border fencing during the previous Congress government than during the current dispensation, but all were legal. A former BJP office-bearer, who recently resigned, exposed how the government has been evicting people for optics without due process.
Some of your leaders have joined BJP. According to records from other states, such leaders have not been rejected by people. What do you think?
I believe people will decide their fate. At present, the political parties in Assam are undergoing a restructuring. Himanta Biswa Sarma and his former Congress colleagues, whose corruption and misdeeds have been a major reason people have rejected the Congress party in the past, have all joined the BJP, while BJP veterans have been sidelined or denied tickets. So, the popular saying goes that the BJP is already ousted in the state, and it is only the Sarma-led Congress with a saffron label that is left of it. The fight is between the Congress faction led by Sarma and his affiliates, and the real Congress, based on the ideals of the late Tarun Gogoi.
Why should people vote for Congress when BJP has traction for its growing focus on Assam?
People should vote for Congress for better education. The current government is infamous for shutting down government schools. People should vote for Congress for a corruption-free administration and for maintaining harmony. The current government thrives on polarisation. The BJP has only brought shame to the people of Assam and the Northeast by projecting it as an intolerant, violent society.
Do you think the BJP’s accusations against you over your Pakistan visit resonated with the voters?
The people have seen through Sarma’s lies and deceit. It is false propaganda and has been discussed enough for people to understand that. Assam have rejected such false claims.
