Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on March 12 said he may hold a courtesy meeting with Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren after the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) indicated interest in entering Assam’s electoral politics ahead of this year’s assembly elections.
Speaking to reporters in Ranchi, Gogoi said he would try to meet Soren but preferred such discussions to remain private. “Jharkhand CM has visited Assam, and we will try to have a courtesy call with him. These things are not to be revealed in the media. We will keep our views in an official meeting,” he said.
Soren, who leads the JMM, visited Assam earlier this week, where he called for tribal unity and attended an iftar gathering. Gogoi, currently in Jharkhand, said his trip is part of the Congress party’s effort to sharpen strategy ahead of the Assam Legislative Assembly polls and to seek support from leaders of the Jharkhand Congress unit.
Gogoi said the All India Congress Committee has appointed Bandhu Tirkey as a senior observer for the Assam campaign. “Bandhu Tirkey has visited all the districts in Assam and understands the problems faced by the people there.
We have come here today on behalf of the Assam Pradesh Congress to discuss with Jharkhand Congress leaders on how their senior leaders can further strengthen the Congress in the upcoming Assam elections and give a new direction to the society of Assam,” he said.
Gogoi is expected to contest the Assembly elections from the Jorhat constituency. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera told a press conference in Guwahati that talks on seat-sharing with alliance partners are ongoing and that negotiations are being guided by ground surveys and public opinion. “Discussions continue for seat-sharing with allies, keeping in view the ground survey and public opinion,” he said.
Khera also launched a sharp attack on Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of corruption and asserting that Congress confidence is rooted in conditions on the ground.
“Our confidence doesn’t come from bravado. Our confidence comes from the ground situation. You put Rs 9,000 or Rs 90,000, people want to get rid of this corrupt man,” he said. Assam is scheduled to hold its Legislative Assembly elections later this year, with the BJP seeking a third consecutive term and the Congress aiming to return to power.
