Following the electoral defeat in Assam, opposition parties convened on Tuesday to assess their performance. Gaurav Gogoi, the president of Assam Congress and a candidate from Jorhat who suffered a loss, raised concerns regarding the Election Commission’s (EC) conduct, particularly highlighting the significant margins by which the BJP secured victories.

The Congress party experienced its most disappointing outcome in Assam, managing to secure only 19 out of 126 Assembly seats. Notably, 18 of these members are Muslim representatives who were elected from constituencies with predominantly minority voters, indicating a failure to connect with the broader electorate. Gogoi’s loss, marking a significant setback in his first state election, was among the most pronounced defeats for the party, alongside that of Debabrata Saikia, the previous Leader of the Opposition.

While acknowledging the public’s decision and accepting moral accountability for the defeat, Gogoi criticized the Election Commission. He stated, “Our leader Rahul Gandhi has consistently questioned the integrity of this election. The behavior exhibited by the Election Commission has been under scrutiny. We have voiced these concerns in various forums in Delhi and even attempted to introduce a no-confidence motion against the Chief Election Commissioner.”

Gogoi expressed skepticism about the election results, stating, “The public finds it hard to trust the outcomes. The vote margins are so wide that they raise doubts. In many areas, there was an expectation of close contests, with anticipated small margins of victory, yet the actual differences are substantial. Discussions among the public, media, and intellectuals suggested many races would be closely contested. We will need to reassess the results in several constituencies in the coming days, with a special meeting scheduled for May 9 to address this.”

With the Congress party now lacking its most prominent figures in the Assembly and facing challenges in representing the interests of a diverse population, Gogoi emphasized the party’s commitment to acting as a “strong Opposition.”

“We will be a voice for the common people whenever this government resorts to intimidation or poses a threat. This is our commitment. We will monitor the government’s oversights, errors, and corruption. Despite having fewer seats, our resolve remains intact. I assure the Congress leadership in Assam and the state’s citizens that while we may not have achieved our expected seat count, we remain mentally undeterred,” he asserted.

Akhil Gogoi from the Raijor Dal, one of only two opposition MLAs from Upper and North Assam, remarked that the election outcome was “difficult to comprehend.” He attributed the NDA’s success in surpassing the 100-seat mark to factors such as the delimitation process, the Special Revision of voter lists conducted prior to the election, the cash transfer schemes of the outgoing BJP administration, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s active engagement in multiple public meetings across constituencies.

He also noted that the opposition alliance involving his party, Congress, and regional groups like the Assam Jatiya Parishad and the All Party Hill Leaders Conference was established less than three weeks before the election, which may have affected their performance.

Sukrita Baruah serves as a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express in Guwahati, where she delivers in-depth, on-the-ground reporting from India’s North East, a region notable for its intricate ethnic diversity, geopolitical importance, and unique developmental hurdles.

Her expertise encompasses:

• Ethnic & Social Dynamics: In-depth coverage of regional conflicts and peace-building initiatives.
• Border & Geopolitics: Monitoring developments along India’s international borders and their implications for local communities.
• Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the execution of central government schemes in the North East.

Before her current role, Sukrita was an Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi, equipping her with a strong analytical perspective on:

• Policy Analysis: Assessing the National Education Policy (NEP) and reforms at the university level.
• Student Affairs: Covering significant issues related to campus politics, national entrance examinations, and challenges in primary and secondary education.

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