Gaurav Gogoi visits Titabor after Panchayat poll rout, vows course correction for 2026

Guwahati, May 14: Visiting Titabor for the first time since the Congress’s crushing defeat in the panchayat elections, MP Gaurav Gogoi acknowledged that the party had never before witnessed such a poor performance in this long-time stronghold.

“In politics, public opinion and sentiments are never permanent. That said, we must not forget the love and support the people of Titabor have always shown to the Congress party,” Gogoi said.

With the BJP breaching Congress’s bastion in Titabor for the first time in nearly two decades, the Jorhat MP held review meetings with defeated party candidates and went door-to-door to understand the reasons behind the setback.

Looking ahead to the 2026 Assembly elections, Gogoi stressed the importance of learning from past mistakes and rebuilding the party's strength at the grassroots.

“Next year, we will fight back. We will hold discussions with all party members and decide what needs to be done so that we can better serve the people,” he said.

Despite the loss, Gogoi also criticised the manner in which the elections were conducted under the current government.

“We all saw how many voters couldn’t cast their votes. Some votes were rejected. Why were such rules in place that prevented so many people from voting? We have not witnessed such administrative issues in previous elections,” he asked.

On a potential alliance with the Assam Jatiya Parishad and Raijor Dal in 2026, Gogoi said that any such decision would depend on the prevailing circumstances and would be taken after discussions within the party.

When asked if he would take on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Jorhat in 2026, Gogoi said, “They will do their work, and we will do ours.”

Notably, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) emerged victorious in the recent panchayat elections, securing 300 of 397 Zila Parishad seats and 1,436 of 2,192 Anchalik Parishad seats.