Gaurav Gogoi takes charge of Assam Congress, aims at 2026 Assembly polls

Guwahati, June 3 (IANS) In a significant political transition ahead of next year's Assam Assembly elections, Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi formally assumed office as the new president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Tuesday.

The ceremonial handover took place at the state Congress headquarters in Guwahati, where Gogoi received the mantle from Bhupen Kumar Borah, who helmed the party for over three years.

The event drew the presence of several senior Congress figures, including AICC General Secretary Jitendra Singh and Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia.

Prior to the ceremony, Gogoi offered prayers at the revered Kamakhya Temple, symbolically marking the beginning of his tenure at the helm of the state’s principal opposition party.

In his first remarks after taking charge, Gogoi reaffirmed the Congress’s ideological legacy.

“Inspired by the vision of leaders from Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to Hiteswar Saikia and my father, Tarun Gogoi, we are committed to advancing a politics rooted in equality and inclusiveness,” he told reporters.

Gogoi’s appointment comes at a politically sensitive time, amid allegations from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma linking his wife to Pakistan’s ISI, claims the Congress leader has categorically rejected.

Demonstrating his grassroots connection, Gogoi undertook a symbolic three-day padayatra from Sivasagar to Guwahati in the lead-up to the formal ceremony.

His journey included stops in Titabor, Jorhat, Nagaon, Morigaon, and Jagiroad, where enthusiastic crowds of party workers and supporters turned out to greet him.

As Gogoi assumes leadership, the Congress is expected to recalibrate its strategy and organisation in the run-up to the high-stakes 2026 state elections.

In a rejig in the Congress' Assam unit, party MP Gaurav Gogoi -- son of late former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi -- was named in the previous week the new state president of the grand old party, replacing Bhupen Borah.

Reacting to the Congress leadership’s decision to appoint him the president of the party's Assam unit, Gaurav Gogoi wrote on X that he is grateful to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, LoP Rahul Gandhi, and General Secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal for trusting him with this responsibility.

Acknowledging the contributions of his predecessor, Gogoi praised former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Bhupen Kumar Borah for his leadership and dedication.

"He led the party from the front and made a tremendous contribution," Gogoi said, highlighting Borah’s efforts in navigating the party through challenging times in the state.

--IANS

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