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3 min readMar 20, 2026 12:34 PM IST
Congress and Raijor Dal, led by Gaurav Gogoi and Akhil Gogoi, have finalised a seat-sharing pact for the Assam Assembly elections. (File Photo)
After years of an on-again, off-again relationship and both parties declaring earlier this month that alliance talks had fallen through, the Congress and regional party Raijor Dal announced that they had finally reached a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Assembly polls in Assam.
The decision was announced by Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi late Thursday night, with both holding hands and exchanging gamosas, and Akhil saying his party would work to make Gaurav the next Chief Minister.
Under this agreement, the Raijor Dal will contest 13 seats, two of which – Gauripur and Goalpara East – will be in friendly contests with the Congress. The 11 seats that have been left by the Congress for the Raijor Dal include Dhing, the seat over which there was a disagreement that had led to the collapse of talks earlier, and Margherita, where the Congress candidate Prateek Bordoloi withdrew his candidacy on Thursday after his father, Pradyut Bordoloi, jumped ship to the BJP. It also includes Sivasagar, from where Akhil himself is MLA and where he will contest again.
“Today, an understanding between the Raijor Dal and the Congress has been arrived at… The Raijor Dal has taken the decision to start working from today to make Gaurav Gogoi Assam’s Chief Minister,” said Akhil.
Earlier, the Raijor Dal had said it had initially requested 27 seats but agreed to reduce this to 15 at the Congress’s request, and that ultimately the Congress agreed to 13 seats.
With the release of its third list of candidates on Thursday, the Congress has fielded candidates in 101 seats. Under the seat-sharing arrangements it has finalised across the 126 seats in the Assam legislative assembly, the Assam Jatiya Parishad will contest 10 seats, the All Party Hill Leaders Conference 2, and the CPI(M) and the Raijor Dal 11 each.
In the opposing NDA, the BJP will contest 89 seats, the Asom Gana Parishad 26, and the Bodoland People’s Front 11.
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The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which is contesting the election alone, has named 126 candidates. Former NDA ally, the Bodoland-based United People’s Party Liberal, is also contesting alone and has so far named 18 candidates.
Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges. Expertise and Experience Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts. Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities. Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East. Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for: Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms. Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More
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