GUWAHATI: In a sudden move, with the opposition alliance still not fully formed, the AICC on Tuesday released its first list of 42 candidates for Assam assembly elections. The announcement has put Congress on a collision course with the regional party Raijor Dal, led by Akhil Gogoi, which had been hoping to secure some of these seats from Congress once the alliance is finalized.Among the most prominent names in the 42-candidate list are Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi (Jorhat), leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia (Nazira), and Congress MLAs Nandita Das (Hajo-Sualkuchi) and Diganta Barman (Barkhetri).Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur Goswami has been nominated from the Dispur constituency in Guwahati. Youth ledeaders Tanzil Hussain and Prateek Bordoloi, sons of Congress MPs Rakibul Hussain and Pradyut Bordoloi, have received tickets from Samaguri and Margherita, respectively.Congress’s decision to field former Assam PCC president Ripun Bora from Barchalla, and contest from Demow and Gauripur, has upset Raijor Dal, even as alliance discussions between the two were in an advanced stage.Gaurav Gogoi, the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Jorhat, expressed gratitude to AICC leaders and the Central Election Committee for nominating him from the Jorhat assembly seat.“I am grateful to the people of Jorhat Lok Sabha without whom I would not have reached this position. I am thankful to my late father Tarun Gogoi who taught me what it means to be an Assamese and a Congressman,” Gaurav write on X.“I am also thankful to my family, my mother, sister, wife and two little kids who have endured a lot but always with grace, joy and dignity. To my fellow Congress brothers, sisters, colleagues and elders , the time is now to take Assam in a new and bold direction,” he wrote, urging people to dream again of a Natun Bor Axom ( new greater Assam).Congress’s alliance plans with AJP, APHLC and the Left are close to being finalized, but talks with Raijor Dal remain stalled.Raijor Dal said on Monday that an alliance with Congress could be sealed if Congress agrees to give the party five preferred seats out of a list of 13. “Raijor Dal has strong candidates for the Barchalla and Demow seats. Most importantly, in 2021 by-election we got much more votes than Congress in Demow. Our party workers were highly enthusiastic this time. So this first list of Congress is a major disappointment for our party” Raijor Dal spokesperson Rasel Hussain told TOI.
