Assam, March 25: Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi has launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing the party of undermining the role of chief ministers by running state governments through “remote control from Delhi.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the election campaign, Gogoi pointed to former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s removal despite his tribal background and grassroots credentials. “Five years ago, the Chief Minister in the BJP was Sarbananda Sonowal, a tribal leader with an AASU background. And what happened to him? He won the election, formed the government, and was removed,” Gogoi said, adding that similar patterns were visible in other states.

On whether he would be projected as the Congress’s chief ministerial face, Gogoi clarified that his focus was on collective leadership rather than personal ambition. “Our only goal is a Congress-led government and to remove the fear that has been instilled in the people of Assam. Apart from this, I had no personal expectations; it was mine before and it is mine today,” he stated.

Highlighting the mood on the ground, Gogoi claimed there was “tremendous enthusiasm among the people” who see a “historic opportunity to uproot the 10-year BJP government.” He described the current administration as one that “practices politics of fear,” while asserting that voters are “imagining a new Assam” under Congress-led change.