With new chief, Congress makes it Gogoi vs Sarma in Assam

New Delhi: With the appointment of Gaurav Gogoi as its chief in Assam, the Congress is gearing up for a one-on-one fight with BJP Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the north-eastern state where it wants to regain its political prominence which has been in the wane for the past ten years.

By choosing Gogoi, the Congress has made it clear that it is willing to take the bull by its horns by emphatically telling its rival that it is unperturbed Sarma’s “Pakistan bogey” against the Jorhat MP, who is also the party’s Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha under Rahul Gandhi.

The party central leadership has also sent a clear message to warring leaders in Assam that Gogoi is their choice though they have not officially name him the Chief Ministerial candidate.

“Whatever Sarma wants to say, let him say. But people of Assam are looking forward to Gogoi as their leader…With Gogoi and a team, under a collective leadership, we will win Assam,” Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said.

“In states like Karnataka and Telangana, we had maintained that the leadership question would be settled later. In Assam, the leadership may not officially say he is the face. But the messaging is clear. It is now Gogoi versus Sarma, ” a Congress poll manager told DH.

But the assignment is not easy for Gogoi. The party has not been in power in the north-eastern state for the past ten years. The BJP had broken Congress’ hegemony in the state where it was in power for 15 years from 2001 with Sarbanand Sonowal-led saffron party defeating Tarun Gogoi-led party.

It had lost its sitting seat – Samaguri which was vacated after Rakibul Hussain won Lok Sabha election with a record margin – in bypolls in November last year while also not managing to win any of the four constituencies held by BJP, AGP and UPPL then. Congress’ performance in recent local body polls was also unimpressive.

The party leadership believes Gogoi, banking on his late father Tarun Gogoi’s political heritage, could turn the tide against Sarma. The 42-year-old electrical engineer with a masters degree in public administration, Gogoi had withstood a ferocious campaign led by Sarma in Jorhat to emerge the winner.

In the past couple of months, Sarma had targeted the junior Gogoi, alleging that the latter visited Pakistan and his foreigner wife had worked in the neighbouring country. Gogoi had described the allegations as Sarma's desperation after finding that the political scenario was changing fast to his disadvantage.

Congress sources had earlier said that Sarma's attacks were “pre-emptive strikes” to target a potential rival in state politics. Sarma, who was considered a close aide of Tarun Gogoi, had quit Congress as he felt that the Congress veteran was grooming his son for the top post in the state.

Belonging to the Ahom community, the party also believes that the decision to forefront Gogoi would bring gains in Upper Assam. The party has also brought in three Working Presidents – a Muslim, a tea tribe and a Hindu.