Dibrugarh, Jan 22: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Thursday held a special zonal party convention at the Tiloi Gramya Bazar auditorium in Moran, Dibrugarh district, bringing together party leaders and workers from five districts and 26 Assembly constituencies.
Addressing the gathering, APCC president Gaurav Gogoi urged party cadres to take the question — “Who is Himanta Biswa Sarma?” — directly to the people, launching a sharp political offensive against the Chief Minister.
Gogoi accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of political betrayal and corruption, drawing a comparison with late former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. He said that despite serving as Chief Minister for 15 years, Tarun Gogoi neither amassed personal wealth nor registered companies in the names of his family members.
“Where did the assets of the Chief Minister’s family come from?” Gogoi asked, demanding public accountability. He also alleged that during the last Assembly elections, the BJP had projected Sarbananda Sonowal as its chief ministerial face, only to install Himanta Biswa Sarma after the polls. Gogoi described this as part of a “larger political game” that, he claimed, betrayed public trust.
Raising concerns over Assam’s financial health, the Congress leader claimed that the state’s debt has crossed ₹1 lakh crore, incurred in the name of development, while common citizens are facing increased taxation.
He alleged that welfare schemes were being used to mislead the public even as the cost burden on people continued to rise.
Former Chhattisgarh minister and senior Congress leader Bandhu Tirkey, who also addressed the convention, accused the BJP of betraying tribal communities and tea garden workers. He alleged that the ruling party had failed to increase wages, provide land pattas, or grant Scheduled Tribe status to tea garden workers, using them merely as a vote bank.
Tirkey further pointed out that despite the sizeable tea garden population in the Dibrugarh parliamentary constituency, no candidate from the community had been given an electoral ticket.
The convention was organised by the Dibrugarh District Congress Committee under the slogan “Haath se Haath Jodo, Naya aur Behtar Assam Gado” (Join Hands, Build a New and Better Assam). It was attended by former ministers Pawan Singh Ghatowar, senior leaders Vikas Upadhyay, Debabrata Saikia, Bhupen Bora, several former MLAs, party office-bearers and invited guests.
Deliberations focused on strengthening the organisation, formulating future political strategies, and addressing public grievances. Party leaders asserted that Congress would intensify its movement on people’s issues and strengthen the organisation down to the booth level to emerge as a credible alternative in Assam.
Speaking to reporters later, Gogoi alleged that under Himanta Biswa Sarma’s rule, large tracts of land were being handed over to corporate houses such as Adani, Ambani and Patanjali. He claimed that allegations of corruption and scams involving the Chief Minister were already known to the public.
“Our party workers will go door to door to expose the corruption and scams that have mushroomed under this government,” Gogoi said.
He further alleged the existence of coal and sand syndicates, remarking, “Under this government, even cows are not safe in cowsheds. The cows are missing, and syndicates have flourished.”
Also Read: Union Minister Scindia to roll out ₹574-Crore development push in Tripura, visit Assam from Jan 23
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
