After the Bihar elections, the Congress party’s major focus has now shifted towards the assembly elections in the heart of the Northeast, Assam. Almost three months ahead of the elections, the party launched its statewide mass outreach campaign titled “Raijor Podukut Raijor Congress” on December 20, which roughly translates to “people's way, people's Congress.”
The new campaign, which will be executed by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) functionaries, is aimed at directly engaging with people across Assam and also gathering public opinion at the grassroots, which will help the party shape a people-centric vision for the state.
Moreover, the recently appointed young president of the APCC, Gaurav Gogoi, will personally participate in the outreach programme at several places. Between December 21 and 24, Gogoi is scheduled to attend public meetings and outreach programmes in Dibrugarh, Makum, Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts.
Notably, the Congress has been undergoing organisational churn in most states across the country, including at the national level, by giving major responsibilities to comparatively junior leaders while moving away from age- and experience-based appointments.
The party’s trust in younger leaders was illustrated during the Bihar Assembly elections, where the state’s party in-charge, Krishna Allavaru, was given a free hand to deal with political situations. However, the party failed to perform and lost nearly one-third of its Assembly strength, shrinking its numbers to six from 19 in the 2020 elections.
Considered close to Rahul Gandhi, Gaurav Gogoi is also being seen as a mainstay of the Assam elections, where his choice of leaders and operational effectiveness will be tested, alongside expectations to deliver results. A section of political observers senses brewing anti-incumbency on the ground, and Gogoi’s political strategy is expected to tap into that sentiment to bring the party to power.
A political analyst said the outreach programme is expected to help build the Congress cadre. People are likely to join, and the party aims to create first-phase momentum through this campaign. The analyst added that while the organisation may be weak, a focus on issues and connecting with the people of Assam could improve the Congress’ chances of returning to power.
The campaign formally began with the first team visiting Zubeen Garg Kshetra in Sonapur, where they paid floral tributes at the memorial of cultural icon.
