Key Points

Three-time Lok Sabha MP Gogoi led the charge, directly targeting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. In a post on X, Gogoi claimed that the Chief Minister had dismissed concerns over the allocation with a flippant remark, quoting him as saying, “What will they do after losing power? Rs 50 lakh of taxpayer money was handed to a minister for his private dairy farm in Assam.”

“The Chief Minister’s brazen response underscores the deeper issue — governance reduced to patronage.” The opposition leader accused the Sarma government of consistently favouring those with political ties while neglecting the intended beneficiaries of welfare schemes. He alleged that entrepreneurs, small farmers, and marginalised communities are routinely sidelined in favour of politically connected individuals.

“This isn't an isolated case,” Gogoi said. “We’ve seen time and again that those close to the corridors of power receive disproportionate benefits, while the truly needy are left out. This erodes trust in public institutions and undermines the very purpose of these schemes.” Framing the controversy as a breach of public trust, Gogoi accused the ruling administration of treating governance as a personal entitlement.

“This is not public service — it’s the conversion of political power into private gain,” he said, calling for transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayer funds. The state government has yet to issue an official response to the allegations.

With the appointment of Gaurav Gogoi as the new Assam Congress chief, the party has signalled its intent to take on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in a head-to-head political battle, as it seeks to reclaim lost ground in a state where its influence has sharply declined over the past decade.

The decision to elevate Gogoi — a three-time MP from Jorhat and the party’s Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha — is being seen as a strategic move by the Congress high command to inject renewed energy into its Assam unit. It also reflects the party’s readiness to confront the BJP’s aggressive political narrative, particularly Sarma’s repeated attempts to target Gogoi using communal rhetoric, including what the Congress calls the “Pakistan bogey.”

By placing Gogoi at the helm, the Congress has sent a strong message that it is not backing down from a direct ideological and electoral clash. The central leadership’s move also serves as a firm signal to factional leaders within the state unit: the party’s focus is now firmly behind Gogoi, even if he has not been formally declared the Chief Ministerial candidate.

The appointment marks a calculated shift in the Congress strategy — from internal firefighting to sharpening its attack on the BJP in one of the Northeast’s most politically significant states.

- IANS