Guwahati, March 4: In a decisive opening move ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, the Indian National Congress on March 3 released its first list of 42 candidates, signalling electoral preparedness while triggering friction within the opposition camp. The announcement, issued by the All India Congress Committee and signed by AICC General Secretary K. C. Venugopal, marked the party’s formal plunge into a high-stakes contest expected to reshape Assam’s political landscape. However, the move drew sharp criticism from Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi, who termed it “unilateral” and “unconstitutional”, exposing early cracks in opposition unity.
The list features prominent names, including Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, who has been fielded from Jorhat, former state unit chief Ripun Bora from Barchalla, and Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia from Nazira. The party has also named candidates across reserved constituencies, including ST seats such as Majuli, Bokajan, Rongkhang, Boko-Chaygaon and Jonai, as well as SC segments like Barpeta, Hajo-Sualkuchi, Jagiroad, Raha and Ramkrishna Nagar. While Congress sought to project inclusivity and organisational readiness, the controversy surrounding seat-sharing talks shifted attention to evolving opposition dynamics.
Reacting within hours, Akhil Gogoi criticised the move. “Unfortunate! Even as alliance talks were underway, the Congress unilaterally released its candidate list like this, displaying its unconstitutional nature. I felt bad about it,” he said, describing the announcement as a breach of trust.
The discontent stems from ongoing seat-sharing negotiations between Congress and Raijor Dal. Congress reportedly offered four direct seats, four friendly contests and proposals for five additional constituencies, an arrangement Raijor Dal found unsatisfactory.
At a press conference in Guwahati on March 2, Raijor Dal working president Bhasco de Saikia said, “The Congress has offered four seats. The alliance can be sealed if just one more is given.”
However, Raijor Dal is reportedly seeking to contest 15 constituencies, including Mandia, Jaleswar, East Goalpara, Mankachar, Chenga, Sivasagar, Demow, Barchalla, Margherita, Dispur, Algapur, Katlichera, Naoboicha, Dhing, Mariani, Duliajan, Sonari and Dalgaon.
The flashpoints are Mandia and East Goalpara, seats with both symbolic and strategic significance. Congress is said to be reluctant to cede them, particularly as two of its former leaders — Abdul Rashid Mandal and Sherman Ali Ahmed — have joined Raijor Dal and are eyeing contests from those constituencies.
For Congress, conceding these seats would amount to backing former party leaders who defected. For Akhil Gogoi, they represent a critical expansion into Lower Assam, central to Raijor Dal’s long-term strategy.
Notably, Congress did not announce candidates for Mandia or East Goalpara in its first list, fuelling speculation that negotiations remain open. However, insiders suggest the party is firm in its position on retaining politically sensitive seats.
The evolving arrangement points to a tentative compromise. Congress has reportedly offered Raijor Dal seats such as Margherita, Dhing, Naoboicha and Chenga for friendly contests, and Dalgaon, Mariani, Sisirborgaon and Behali for independent contests within an alliance framework. Sivasagar — Akhil Gogoi’s stronghold — also featured in discussions.
However, the unilateral declaration of candidates from Demow, Barchalla, Dispur, Sonari and Margherita has narrowed Raijor Dal’s room for manoeuvre, with Margherita set for a friendly contest.
Attention now turns to March 4, when Akhil Gogoi is expected to release Raijor Dal’s first list of 12 candidates from the 15 seats it has sought. The announcement is likely to determine whether the opposition alliance holds or fractures ahead of the electoral battle.
While Congress has yet to unveil its remaining lists and negotiations remain technically open, the trust deficit between the allies has become increasingly evident.
