Raijor Dal will not field its own candidate in the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election, with party president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi saying the decision was taken in the larger interest of preventing the rise of communal forces.
Gogoi said the decision was taken by the party’s Steering Committee, following which he announced the party’s decision regarding the Nagaon bypoll.
According to Gogoi, Raijor Dal would have supported the Congress in the contest, but the party was removed from the Opposition alliance a few days ago. He alleged that the Congress had broken the alliance ahead of the by-election.
Gogoi criticised the Congress leadership, saying, “There are many fools in the world, but the maximum number of fools are in Congress.”
He also targeted Congress leader Mira Borthakur, alleging that she was one of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s “fixed deposits” within the Congress.
Despite deciding not to field a candidate, Raijor Dal said its move was aimed at preventing a division of Opposition votes and countering what it described as communal politics in the Nagaon by-election.
Gogoi’s remarks against the Congress and Mira Borthakur were political allegations and had not been independently verified.
