Assam election result 2021: Leadership crisis, 'double stand' on CAA cost Congress in state

The Congress-led alliance managed only 50 seats, while the BJP and its allies bagged 75 of the 126 Assembly seats

The Congress had made a lot of noise in mid-February about its Chhattisgarh model, claiming that the same would be applied to reclaim power from the BJP in Assam.

However, the results were different as the Congress-led alliance of seven opposition parties managed only 50 seats, while the BJP and its allies bagged 75 of the 126 Assembly seats.

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi carried out a strong campaign about the "five guarantees" it made to the voters in Assam. However, party leaders in Guwahati told DH that the Chhattisgarh strategy failed mainly due to lack of a strong leader after Tarun Gogoi's death and the "double stand" regarding the CAA. The Congress tried to apply the micro-level booth management strategy in Assam, which had helped the party win the elections in Chhattisgarh in 2018, after 15 years.

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Rahul on February 14 had announced in Sivasagar, an Assamese heartland, that the party decided to take anti-CAA stand and would not allow the same to be implemented in Assam if it regains power. But Congress leaders in Barak Valley (South Assam), like Sushmita Dev, distanced herself from the statement, given the fact that the party depended on the votes of Hindu Bengalis, most of whom are in favour of the CAA. In fact, the newspaper adverstisements Congress issued in the Barak Valley ahead of elections omitted its anti-CAA stand. Barak Valley (Cachar, Karimganh and Hailakandi districy) has 15 seats, but Congress got only four sests this time, two short of 2016.

Scrapping the CAA was one of the "five guarantees" Congress gave ahead of elections. Free electricity upto 200 units, five lakh government jobs in five years, Rs. 2,000 every month into the bank accounts of every housewife and Rs 365 daily wage to the tea garden workers were the other promises it made during its campaign.

"The alliance with AIUDF, on the one hand, provided the BJP a chance to attack Congress as protector of infiltrators. This took the indigenous Assamese votes away from us. At the same time, the party's failure to take all leaders on board the anti-CAA stand cost dearly. Also, the promise like 5 lakh government jobs in five years looked impractical," a senior Congress leader, who refused to be named said on Monday.

Sources said Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who was camping in Assam for weeks as AICC observer, had to struggle constantly to tackle the infighting among party leaders in the state, such as Ripun Bora (president), Debabrat Saikia (CLP leader), MP Prodyut Bordoloi and Gaurav Gogoi. "They were divided regarding the party's decision to ally with AIUDF. And all of them wanted to be named CM candidate. Baghel convinced all of them to be together at least till the elections, but it was already late," he said.

As a counter to Congress' promises, the BJP announced that the monthly cash amount (direct benefit transfer) their government started in November last year would be enhanced from Rs 830 at present to Rs 3,000 after coming to power again. The BJP also promised that all micro credit loans (about Rs 12,000 crore) would be waived off after the results, which attracted the women voters.

Writer and former director general of police, Hare Krishna Deka, said the failure to bring Assam Jatiya Parishad and Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dol, two new anti-CAA parties, to the "grand alliance" also cost Congress. "They had a good manifesto but, somehow, the young voters were not convinced. Moreover, the central leadership itself was weak and their words failed to create much influence. The anti-incumbency too did not seem to be a factor among the voters," Deka said.