Guwahati, February 21 (IANS). Raijor Dal leader and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi, leader of Assam’s regional party Raijor Dal, on Saturday said his party will not make any compromise on seat-sharing with the Congress and demanded at least 15 seats in the upcoming state assembly elections.
He said that even if the seats are reduced, the party should be given at least 12 assembly seats of its choice.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting of Raijor Dal leaders here, Gogoi said the party’s demand is based on its growing political strength and grassroots presence across Assam.
He further said, “Raizor Dal wants 15 assembly seats. Even if this is not possible, Congress will have to give at least 12 seats of our choice. There can be no alliance without a respectful understanding.”
He also said that if such a consensus helps defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam, the Raijordan party is ready to make political sacrifices to project Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi as the chief ministerial face of the opposition alliance.
He further said, “We are ready to make all sacrifices to see Gaurav Gogoi become the Chief Minister of Assam. The bigger goal is to protect Assam and defeat the BJP.”
This statement of Akhil Gogoi comes amidst the ongoing discussions regarding alliance formation and seat-sharing among the opposition parties before the upcoming state elections.
Talks have intensified between Congress and regional parties including Raijor Dal as the opposition wants to unite and challenge the ruling BJP-led alliance in the state.
The Raijor Dal, which bills itself as a pro-people regional force, is pressing for greater representation in any opposition alliance, citing its role in mobilizing large movements and its performance in recent elections.
However, the Congress has so far refrained from making any formal announcement on seat-sharing, saying the discussions are still in the initial stage.
Political experts believe that Akhil Gogoi’s tough stance shows the growing strength of small regional parties in the opposition space of Assam, where electoral mathematics and leadership assumption are emerging as the main issues.
–IANS
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