The founder of Raijor Dal and the MLA from Sibsagar has told NTDV the Trinamool Congress and Raijor Dal won’t merge but both the parties will fight BJP and are looking forward to working together against BJP and its ideological mentor the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Mr. Gogoi’s remarks come days after Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee proposed a joining of forces to take on the BJP in Assam – where it retained power after the April-May election – and Tripura – where elections are due in 2023.
“We have held three rounds of meetings with the Trinamool so far… they proposed my party – Raijor Dal – merge with them, and they wanted me to take charge as President of the Trinamool’s Assam State Committee,” Mr. Gogoi, the MLA from Sivasagar, told NDTV.
“We are discussing all aspects internally… we will decide soon. (But) we will not merge with Trinamool. The Raijor Dal is a regional political party,” he said, adding, “We would like to unite all regional forces in the country and unite against the BJP-RSS.”
Mr. Gogoi also said the two parties are working on a strategy for by-polls to five Assembly seats.
The founder of the newly floated Raijor Dal — arrested in December 2019 over sedition charges — bagged 57,219 votes as an Independent, garnering support from 46.6 percent electorates.
Akhil Gogoi became the first Assamese to win an election being in judicial custody following an arrest regarding the protest against Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAA).
Earlier Akhil Gogoi had told that he visited Kolkatta twice following the invitation by the founder of Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamta Banarjee after he was released from jail. The Chief Minister of West Bengal also offered the leading Anti- CAA activists to become the unit’s chief and merge the party with her party.
However, Akhil Gogoi made it clear that his party won’t merge with Trinamool Congress but it will work for hand in hand against BJP.
The Trinamool Congress is also trying to set its sight in Tripura beside Assam.
The groundwork for the Tripura has already begun, with Ms. Banerjee’s nephew and Trinamool General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee visiting Agartala last week. It was alleged by the TMC Chief that Mr. Banerjee’s convoy was attacked by BJP supporters, after which he told reporters his party could not be stopped.
“We will free the people of Tripura… If Biplab babu (Chief Minister Biplab Deb) can stop us, let him try,” Mr. Banerjee said after the alleged attack.
