Three-time Assam Congress MLA from Goalpara West, Abdur Rashid Mandal, joined the Raijor Dal on Monday in the presence of party chief Akhil Gogoi. Another sitting Congress MLA, Sherman Ali Ahmed, is set to join the regional party tomorrow.
The development came just hours after former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah resigned from the party, though AICC General Secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh claimed the resignation had been withdrawn.
Expressing happiness after joining, Mandal said he was glad to become part of the growing Raijor Dal under Akhil Gogoi and would work as a simple party worker to strengthen the organisation. However, an Assam Congress spokesperson stated that Mandal has not yet submitted any resignation letter to the party.
Adding momentum to the party, former chief adviser of the All Tai Ahom Students’ Union (ATASU), Dulal Chandra Baruah, also formally joined Raijor Dal. Welcoming the new members, Akhil Gogoi described Mandal as a “prominent legislator” who consistently raised national and regional issues in the Assembly.
“Usually, people switch parties when denied a ticket. But Mandal was certain to get a ticket from his former party. Despite that, he chose to join us,” Gogoi said, adding, “I was the lone MLA from Raijor Dal shaking the Assembly. Now we are two, tomorrow we will be three. The Assembly will roar louder than ever.”
Mandal, who won in 2006, 2016 and 2021, is expected to strengthen the party, Gogoi said. He further announced that suspended Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed would join the party on February 17 at Bamunbari in Kalagachia. Known as an active legislator, Ahmed was elected in 2011, 2016 and 2021 but was suspended by Congress during the current term over alleged anti-party activities.
Gogoi said Raijor Dal is still a small and relatively new party. Recalling that he was in jail during the last election, he said this would be the first time the party contests polls under his direct presence. “This time we will fight. Since the BJP must be defeated, we do not want to fight alone. We want to fight unitedly with Opposition forces,” he said.
He also claimed two BJP MLAs are in touch with him, but their tickets could not be confirmed due to unresolved seat-sharing talks with Congress. The Congress has not clarified which constituencies it will leave for Raijor Dal, causing delays and political loss, he added.
Gogoi said one AGP MLA has also contacted him about joining Raijor Dal. He further claimed five AIUDF MLAs had reached out, though he made it clear he has no intention of holding talks with them.
Responding to questions, Gogoi said Raijor Dal had sought 15 seats from Congress, while Congress agreed to give only 12. The party accepted the offer, yet discussions have not progressed, he said, expressing disappointment over the delay.