Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday launched a fresh political attack on the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) and its president Gaurav Gogoi, alleging internal discord within the party during its ongoing ‘Parivartan Yatra’.
Speaking to reporters, Sarma claimed that the yatra, which began on a bus, was disrupted by an alleged disagreement between Gaurav Gogoi and former APCC president Bhupen Borah.
“APCC president Gaurav Gogoi started the ‘Parivartan Yatra’ on a bus and got into a fight with former APCC president Bhupen Borah. You can ask him whether it is true or not. Just yesterday, inside the bus itself, both were about to engage in a scuffle, and Jitendra Singh had to intervene to stop the fight,” Sarma alleged.
The Chief Minister said he was aware of the reason behind the reported altercation but declined to reveal details. He also criticised Gogoi’s leadership, alleging that several Congress leaders were not informed about the yatra’s route and schedule.
“This is how Gaurav Gogoi is doing ‘Parivartan’ — by not telling his own party leaders about the programme,” Sarma said.
Sarma further claimed that the Congress would struggle to manage its internal affairs in the run-up to the elections. He questioned the structure of the yatra, alleging inconsistencies in its route.
“They can do a ‘Parivartan Yatra’, but what is this yatra where they stop midway and directly go from Guwahati to Batadrava? Does that mean there are no supporters on the road?” he said.
In a personal remark, the Chief Minister also questioned Gogoi’s engagement with his parliamentary constituency.
“After becoming the Jorhat MP, how many nights has he spent in Jorhat? I think I have visited Jorhat more times than him. People are watching everything, and they will take the right decision,” Sarma added.
There was no immediate response from Gaurav Gogoi or the Congress leadership regarding the Chief Minister’s allegations.