NEW DELHI: As the Assam Assembly elections approach, the Congress party in the state appears to be contending with deepening internal rifts, raising questions about its preparedness to effectively challenge the ruling BJP. Insiders within the party indicate that factionalism inside the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has steadily intensified, undermining organizational unity and weakening efforts to mobilise workers at the grassroots level.
A source within the Assam Congress unit told The Sunday Guardian that the party is presently undergoing significant internal unrest, with several factions having emerged within the state organisation. According to the source, these divisions have disrupted the decision-making process and impeded attempts to strengthen and consolidate the party’s cadre network in the run-up to the elections.
As per the source, one major faction is centred around Assam Congress president Gauras Gogoi, who has been entrusted by the party’s central leadership with guiding the organisation into the forthcoming Assembly polls. However, Gogoi is said to have encountered challenges in securing the confidence and full backing of certain sections within the state unit. Differences over strategic decisions and organisational matters have reportedly exposed internal fault lines within the party.
The source further alleged that Gogoi has struggled to establish a strong rapport with grassroots workers and the electorate, with some party members contending that his leadership has yet to resonate across the state. “There is visible dissatisfaction at various levels,” the source remarked, pointing to what was described as a disconnect between the leadership and party workers operating on the ground.
Another significant group within the party is believed to revolve around senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia. Party insiders maintain that Gogoi and Saikia have not consistently seen eye to eye on various strategic and organisational issues, thereby complicating efforts to arrive at unified decisions within the party framework.
Members associated with the Saikia camp are said to have raised questions regarding Gogoi’s leadership abilities and organisational command.
Some within this faction have privately expressed doubts about his capacity to unify the party and galvanise its cadre base. These ongoing internal disagreements, sources suggest, have adversely affected the smooth functioning of the state unit at a time when unity is critical.
Further compounding the internal strife is the recent resignation of Sanju Boruah, who served as Vice Chairman of the Assam Congress Campaign Committee and stepped down from the party earlier this week. Boruah’s exit is widely perceived as a setback for the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections. In his resignation, Boruah cited serious concerns about the manner in which the state leadership was functioning and alleged a lack of discipline within the organisation under Gogoi’s leadership.
The question of leadership has gained additional prominence following the decision of the party high command to assign senior leader Bhupen Bora the responsibility of conducting alliance negotiations.
