New Delhi: With the Assam Assembly elections approaching, the Congress is once again confronting organisational and strategic problems reminiscent of those that have damaged the party in recent state contests. In Assam, the party appears to be grappling both with internal cohesion and with effective coordination among its alliance partners, raising questions about its preparedness to mount a credible challenge to the BJP-led NDA.
Political observers say that while the Congress’s organisational structure appears active on paper, its ground-level functioning, issue clarity and cadre morale remain weak. The state unit is reportedly struggling to keep grassroots workers unified, with visible signs of fragmentation across several regions.
Uncertainty within the opposition camp has been compounded by delays in alliance coordination.
Although there is broad agreement among opposition parties on the need to contest the BJP together, key decisions on seatsharing and constituency allocation are yet to be finalised. This indecision has stalled early campaign planning and created confusion among alliance partners.
Party insiders say internal surveys suggest the Congress would face an uphill task if it contests the elections on its own. The same assessments, however, indicate that the party could emerge as a credible challenger if it forges a cohesive and well-coordinated alliance, campaigns in unison and presents a clear political narrative.
Despite this, the Congress leadership has been slow to take decisive calls. One major concern cited by party leaders is the possibility of rebellion following ticket distribution, as multiple aspirants are eyeing nominations. Early announcements, they fear, could trigger dissidence among those denied tickets, potentially undermining the campaign. This apprehension has contributed to delays in announcing candidates and finalising seat-sharing arrangements. Although the Congress has stated its intention to contest 100 of the 126 Assembly seats, it has yet to clearly specify which constituencies it is willing to leave for its allies. This lack of clarity has left smaller parties within the opposition bloc uncertain about their electoral strategies.
Signs of discontent have already surfaced. The Communist Party of India (CPI) has announced it will contest independently in seven Assembly constituencies— Sivasagar, Nazira, Titabar, Morigaon, Dhakuakhana, Demow and Gauripur. The All Party Hills Leaders’ Conference (APHLC) has similarly declared its intention to contest three seats.
CPI state secretary Kanak Gogoi said the party had received no response from the Congress on seat-sharing, despite writing formally in December last year. The CPI is among the seven parties that revived the Asom Sonmilito Morcha in November 2025 in an effort to present a united opposition platform against the NDA.
Lurinjyoti Gogoi, president of the Assam Jatiya Parishad, told The Sunday Guardian that while opposition parties broadly agree on the need to challenge the BJP collectively, indecision by the Congress has created uncertainty at the grassroots level. “Without clarity, it becomes difficult to mobilise cadres or plan campaigns,” he said, adding that seat-sharing talks should have been concluded much earlier.
Stressing winnability over numbers, Gogoi said the focus should be on securing victories rather than on ego or seat arithmetic. “Whether Congress contests 100 seats or all 126 is not important. What matters is winnability,” he said, noting that Assam’s demographic realities and entrenched regional political influences must be factored into seat allocation. He warned that further delays could disrupt vote transfer and confuse voters about opposition candidates, adding that his party had already submitted a list of probable candidates based on detailed assessments.
Another alliance partner echoed these concerns, saying repeated attempts to engage with the Congress state leadership had yielded little response. “We have repeatedly stressed the urgency of finalising an alliance strategy. Even outreach to the national leadership has not helped, as the state leadership has failed to take the initiative,” the leader said.
