Not just Gogois, there are Saikias too: State BJP president slams Congress narrative

Guwahati, April 10: Launching a sharp attack on the Congress, BJP Assam president Dilip Saikia on Friday dismissed the opposition’s “three Gogoi” narrative as misleading, asserting that Assam’s political landscape cannot be reduced to a single family.

Addressing a press conference at Vajpayee Bhawan in Guwahati, Saikia questioned the narrative, stating, “Are there only Gogois in Assam? There are many capable leaders from different communities, there are Saikias as well. Politics in Assam cannot revolve around a single family or a few individuals.”

He alleged that the narrative was being deliberately pushed by the Congress leadership, particularly targeting Gaurav Gogoi, to shape public perception ahead of the elections.

“This ‘three Gogoi’ narrative has been crafted and promoted by the Congress to suit its political agenda,” he said.

He also accused the Congress of spreading misinformation during the campaign. “The Congress tried to build a false narrative through baseless allegations, but we remained focused on our vision and development agenda,” Saikia added.

Saikia’s remarks came even as he highlighted what he described as an unprecedented voter turnout in the ongoing elections, cutting across age groups and communities.

Emphasising the role of young voters, he said, “The participation this time has been massive. Nearly 72 lakh voters are below the age of 30, and around 7 lakh are first-time voters. The youth have played a decisive role.”

He also pointed to strong participation by women and senior citizens. “Women voters turned out in large numbers with great enthusiasm. Even senior citizens came out to vote, reflecting a deep sense of democratic responsibility,” he noted.

Citing constituency-level trends, Saikia said areas like Nalbari and Tihu recorded exceptionally high turnout, touching nearly 95 per cent, while Guwahati witnessed a healthy polling range of around 75–78 per cent.

Comparing past election data, he said the state has seen a steady rise in participation. “In 2006, turnout was around 75.77 per cent, in 2011 it was about 76 per cent, in 2016 it rose to 84.7 per cent, and in 2021 it was 82.28 per cent. This time, it is close to 86 per cent, which clearly indicates growing voter engagement,” he added.

On the electoral prospects, Saikia exuded confidence in a strong performance by the BJP-led NDA alliance. “Based on our internal assessment, we believe the NDA will not only retain its base but also influence over 25 additional seats. We are expecting a historic mandate,” he said.

Highlighting the party’s campaign efforts, Saikia said the BJP and its allies contested all 126 seats with full commitment. He detailed the extensive campaign outreach led by top leaders, including rallies, roadshows, and yatras across the state.

Expanding on the scale of the campaign, Saikia underscored the extensive groundwork carried out by the BJP and its allies across Assam, detailing a high-voltage outreach led by top national and state leaders.

“Our campaign was both intensive and wide-reaching. Union Home Minister Amit Shah alone addressed seven public meetings and participated in a major roadshow, while BJP national president JP Nadda held seven meetings across key constituencies.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma undertook an aggressive campaign, covering 29 constituencies between March 1 and 9, followed by Vijay Sankalp Sabhas in five constituencies and participation in at least 10 roadshows from March 25 onwards,” he said.

He further noted that Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal conducted more than 34 meetings, complemented by 34 additional public meetings and six roadshows by party leaders. Senior leaders including Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed multiple rallies, while leaders such as Devendra Fadnavis, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu also joined the campaign trail with several meetings.

Other prominent campaigners like Sambit Patra, Manoj Tiwari, and Tejasvi Surya held multiple engagements, adding to the momentum. “From Jana Ashirbad Yatra to Vijay Sankalp Sabhas, we ensured our presence was felt in every corner of the state,” Saikia added.