GUWAHATI — Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah on Sunday said he will carry out a statewide reshuffle of all office-bearers of the party in February, with an eye on the assembly elections next year.
In an interview with PTI, he said around 90 per cent of the office-bearers will be changed after assessing their capability, loyalty and performance in the last three-and-half years.
"I'll carry out a statewide reshuffle in February to strengthen the party, keeping an eye on the next year's assembly elections," Borah said.
The major reshuffle in party organisation will be from booth to state level, and the central leadership of the Congress has also given its consent to the proposed reorganisation, he added.
"When I took charge as the PCC president in 2021, the party was demoralised after losing the state elections for the second time in a row. At that time, many MLAs and party leaders left us and joined the BJP," Borah said.
He, however, asserted that the situation has changed now and the common people want a change of guard in the state.
"Now, people are coming back and joining the Congress. So, we have more capable and deserving people in the party. Those who have capability to work will get chance accordingly," Borah said.
Elaborating the proposed reshuffle process, the senior Congress leader stated that the party formed a Political Affairs Committee (PAC) in every district and it gave suggestions to change office-bearers at booth, block and district levels.
He said that the reshuffle exercise will begin from the booth level as per the recommendations of the district PACs and almost 90 per cent of the Assam Congress's office-bearers will be changed.
Borah also spoke about the forthcoming panchayat election in the state and the party's preparedness for it.
Asked about tie-ups between Congress and other anti-BJP parties, he said, "No alliance will take place at the state level, but district units have been authorised to take a decision on the alliance with like-minded opposition parties."
He pointed out that there are nearly 22,000 wards in 2,200 gaon panchayats and it is not possible to form an alliance for so many wards while sitting in Guwahati.
"So, Assam PCC has already instructed its district units that they can make an alliance with any anti-BJP party at district or block level. They are free to do so. We will be happy if any of our district units form alliances with any anti-BJP parties," Borah said.
The Congress state chief also mentioned the party's preparation for the assembly elections in Assam in 2026 and elaborated various programmes, including several 'yatras', planned during the year."The day panchayat elections are over, we will start a new journey from Sadiya to Dhubri, covering 45 assembly constituencies at one stretch. The second yatra will be from Sadiya to Mandia. All leadership will participate in these yatras," he added.Borah said that the government is likely to announce the panchayat election schedule within January, following which every party leader and worker will be busy for it.In the meantime, All India Congress Committee has declared 'Jai Sangbidhan, Jai Bhim and Jai Bapu' Yatra in every booth and mandal of the country, and the Assam unit will also implement such programmes, he added."These are our immediate plans. In between, I think there will be another round of elections in Rabha Hasong, Tiwa and Sonowal-Kachari autonomous councils. We will accordingly participate in these councils polls also," he said.Asked about the Congress's strategy to fight the 2026 assembly elections in Assam, Borah said the aim of the party is to unite all the anti-BJP political parties, organisations and individuals to defeat the NDA."For this, definitely we will have to sacrifice some seats and we are ready to do so. In 2021 also, we contested 97 seats out of 126. This time as well, we will definitely sacrifice as per the situation," he added.The Congress chief stated that during the recent Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Karnataka, it was decided to intimate the possible candidates 8-9 months before the assembly elections so that he or she can be involved in all party activities and prepare their constituencies in the run-up to the voting."AICC will make an independent survey to see who will be the best candidate for the 2026 polls. In earlier elections, our prime criteria for selection of candidates was only winnability. This time, along with winnability, ideological commitment to the party or credibility of the candidate will also be assessed."We do not want a similar situation like Manipur, Maharashtra or Madhya Pradesh. We are very confident that the people of Assam want a change and kick the BJP government out of power. So, winnability and loyalty of a candidate will be the primary criteria in the selection of the candidate," he added.Borah said that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's assertion that 'Assam is shining' will bring the same result like what the 'India Shining' campaign of former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee did to the BJP government in 2004."The India Shining campaign brought Manmohan Singh government for 10 years. Likewise, Assam Shining as stated by our CM will bring the curtains down on the BJP government in Assam. The state is shining only for Sarma, his syndicate friends, non-Assamese contractors and non-Assamese capitalists," he added.
