Assam Congress to begin ‘Jonai to Sonai Yatra’ to introspect LS poll

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 12, 2024

Assam Congress is likely to undertake an extensive “Jonai to Sonai Yatra”, to introspect the circumstances and the factors that led to its electoral setback in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

While the Congress was leading in 34 assembly segments under three Lok Sabha constituencies, it was trailing in 93 constituencies under seven Lok Sabha seats spanning from east to south.

“The commencement of the yatra will be announced shortly,” Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah told reporters in Mangaldai on Wednesday.

Borah was visiting the residence of Praanab Narayan Dev, a BJP leader and the president of Sadou Asom Koch Rajbongshi Sanmiloni.

Speculation is rife that Dev is likely to leave BJP and join Congress to contest the upcoming by-election from Mangaldai assembly seat. Dev was seeking a party ticket from the BJP but was denied.

However, Borah denied it and said: “Pranab Narayan Dev is the brother-in-law of my sister. I have a family relationship with him. There is no politics here.”

“We are now keen to assess our election experience on the ground, especially in those assembly constituencies where our performance was poor. We will go there and interact with the people to examine the factors for the defeat,” Borah also said.

Although Congress triumphed in Jorhat, Nagaon and Dhubri, the party faced defeat in Dibrugarh, Kaziranga, Silchar, Karimganj, Diphu, Kokrajhar, Darrang-Udalguri, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur and Guwahati.

“In the meantime, we have to prepare for by-election in 10 assembly constituencies,” he said.

Five MLAs’ victory in the LS polls led to by-elections in 5 assembly constituencies in the state. They are Rakibul Hussain (Chamaguri), Jayanto Basumatary (Sidli), Phani Bhushan Choudhury (Bongaigaon), Ranjit dutta (Bihali) and Parimal Suklabaidy (Dholai).

According to Borah, the by-election will be held in 10 assembly seats within the next six months.

“Five Congress MLAs were suspended from the party and they have to be disqualified and fresh election to be ordered. They are Siddique Ahmed (Karimganj South), Sherman Ali Ahmed (Baghbar), Sashikanta Das (Raha), Basanta Das (Mangaldai) and Kamalakhya Purkaayastha (Karimganj North). We have submitted a petition before the speaker for their disqualification. If the speaker does not take any action, we have to move the court for it,” the Congress leader said.

Borah also said that the Congress will not give the red carpet to the leaders of AIUDF who are willing to join the Congress after the debacle of the party in the election.

“No AIUDF leader is in touch with me. There is no question of When asked who would be the CM’s face for the 2026 elections, Borah said: “It is not the proper time to decide the CM’s face. We are in the first position with 34 seats. So we need to increase our tally to at least 64 seats.”