‘No one should sit idle’: Gaurav Gogoi rallies Congress workers ahead of BTC polls
APCC chief pushes grassroots strategy; slams government over crumbling roads
Guwahati, July 9: The Congress is working to strengthen its grassroots base ahead of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections scheduled for September.
As part of this push, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi chaired a crucial review session at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati on Wednesday.
Following the discussions, Gogoi announced that a team of around 75 to 80 observers would be assigned to gather feedback from the ground across the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
"Our election strategy will not be drafted only from Rajiv Bhawan in Dispur but by working closely with grassroots workers in their own communities," he added.
Emphasising plans to reach the remotest corners of the region, Gogoi said voters in the BTR are "increasingly" looking for an alternative.
“Congress can only grow when we are truly present among the local communities. In BTR and throughout Assam, every Congress worker must remain active. No one should sit idle. Every worker must focus on strengthening the party’s organisational base,” he said.
Gogoi also informed that the party had finalised its list of candidates for the council polls. "We are fully prepared," he said.
Outlining one of the party's core agendas for the autonomous council elections, the Jorhat MP criticised the state government’s alleged neglect of road infrastructure in the BTR.
"The roads are in terrible shape. The Chief Minister boasts about building flyovers in Guwahati, while rural Assam continues to suffer from neglect. What we truly need are roads in villages, not just flyovers in cities. Several wooden bridges have been washed away — those need urgent attention," he said.
Accusing the government of favouritism, Gogoi alleged, “Only four major contractors have benefited from all the flyover construction work. Resentment in the BTR is rising because the government is prioritising urban infrastructure over rural needs.”
Gogoi had first outlined this grassroots-focused strategy during his three-day outreach tour of the BTR last month.
Speaking to the press during an interaction in Kokrajhar’s Tulshibari on June 22, Gogoi had said the Congress would "try to understand the people's dreams and hopes".