Guwahati, March 25: Amid the run-up to the Assam Assembly elections, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi launched a sharp critique of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the party treats the office of Chief Minister as “a mere formality” and operates state governments under “remote control” from New Delhi.
Speaking to reporters, Gogoi accused the BJP of frequently reshuffling Chief Ministers, undermining both public mandate and institutional authority. Highlighting what he described as a pattern across BJP-ruled states, he said the party engages in “musical chairs” with top leadership, weakening governance stability and accountability.
Gogoi cited the example of former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, noting that despite leading the BJP to victory five years ago and delivering on his mandate, Sonowal was later replaced. “He was a tribal leader with roots in the AASU movement, yet he was removed after delivering a mandate. This shows how little importance the BJP gives to the Chief Minister’s position,” he said.
Expanding his criticism nationally, Gogoi referenced leadership decisions in other BJP-ruled states, including Rajasthan, claiming that Chief Ministers are appointed arbitrarily, with names decided centrally. “In the BJP, decisions about who becomes Chief Minister are taken elsewhere. State leaders are expected to follow orders. It reflects a governance model driven by central command rather than democratic consultation,” he alleged.
Gogoi further accused the party of attempting to control state governments from Delhi, asserting that this approach “weakens federal principles and the autonomy of states.” When questioned about his own political ambitions, he downplayed the notion of being projected as Congress’s Chief Ministerial face in Assam, stating, “Our only goal is to form a Congress-led government and to remove the fear instilled among the people of Assam. I have no personal expectations—what mattered earlier still matters today.”
