New regional parties formed ahead of assembly polls in Assam

With Assam going to Assembly elections early next year, new regional political formations are taking shape in the state. 

In a significant development, four new regional parties have come into being one after another in the state. The latest in the addition being ‘Raijor Dal’ (People’s Party) under the leadership of jailed KMSS activist Akhil Gogoi

. The new party with the slogan ‘Think globally, act locally’ is spearheaded by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and backed by 70 indigenous groups and another regional party ‘Sanjukta Anchalik Dal’ launched recently. Gogoi and KMSS’s outgoing president Bhasco de Saikia will serve as the convenors of Raijor Dal, The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti was one of the main organisations that led protests against the new citizenship laws in Assam. 

The party was officially launched by noted filmmaker Jahnu Baruah along with educationist Prof Dr. Ghanasyham Nath. Besides them, Assamese actor Zerifa Wahid and Senior advocate Arup Barbora, have also extended their support to the new political outfit. ‘Raijor Dal’ is the fourth political entity to be formed recently in Assam after Anchalik Gana Morcha, Assam Jatiya Parishad, and Sanjukta Anchalik Dal.

 Earlier last month, the Assam Jatiya Parishad was formed under the two most influential student-youth bodies of the state – the All Assam Students’ Union and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad. Both the AASU and the AJYCP played a key role in the CAA protests organized in the state.

 The state BJP leadership, however, claims that it is unaffected by such new formations and that such alliance will not cost the incumbent government even a single vote.