Guwahati, May 6: Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia on Tuesday categorically denied Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi’s allegation that he is planning to join the BJP, calling the claim baseless and politically motivated.
Reacting strongly, the Congress MLA from Nazira said he would quit politics if Gogoi could produce any evidence to back his claim. “If Akhil Gogoi has any document or proof that I signed an MoU to join the BJP, he should make it public. I will step down from politics,” Saikia told reporters in Guwahati.
On Monday, Gogoi had accused Saikia of acting as the BJP’s “A-Team” within the Congress, alleging that he suppresses dissent against the government in the Assembly and remained silent during the defection of 26 Congress leaders to the BJP. Gogoi also claimed Saikia would formally join the BJP in January 2026.
Rejecting the allegation, Saikia said, “I was born a Congressman. I believe in the party’s ideology. There is no question of switching sides to the BJP or any other party. This is a conspiracy to malign my image and create confusion.”
He also responded to recent comments by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who mocked the Congress’s financial constraints. “Yes, the Congress is struggling financially. But despite harassment, threats, and constant provocation from the ruling party, we continue to fight for democracy,” Saikia said.
Taking a dig at Gogoi’s own political operations, Saikia questioned how the Raijor Dal, a party with just one MLA, could afford massive election rallies and fund ward-level candidates. “People have the right to know how Gogoi manages such large-scale campaigning. He told me himself that he provided financial aid to candidates. Where is this money coming from?” Saikia asked.
He also aimed the ruling BJP, saying the government has failed to meet basic developmental needs in his constituency. “Since 2016, I have repeatedly demanded a science college and a B.Ed. College in Nazira. No government has delivered. Yet they accuse me of being ineffective.”
Saikia further alleged that CM Sarma rewards those who praise him and punishes those who criticise him. He also slammed Gogoi for what he described as selective activism. “Akhil Gogoi seeks votes from minorities now, but remained silent when minority families were forced out of Upper Assam,” he said.
Saikia concluded by reminding the public of Gogoi’s earlier stance: “In 2014, he asked people to vote for the BJP. He now positions himself as an alternative, but one must ask — is it for ideology, or something else?”
