Guwahati: AICC general secretary in charge of Assam Jitendra Singh on Saturday attended a crucial assessment meeting with frontal organisations and district committees in preparation for the upcoming panchayat elections. The alliance strategy is set to be finalised during Assam PCC's political affairs committee (PAC) meeting on Sunday.
The party is contemplating whether to collaborate with other INDIA bloc and ASOM allies (the anti-BJP parties) or contest independently in the rural elections, which will serve as a pivotal indicator of the party's standing before the 2026 assembly election.
Sources in Congress said the policy and ticket distribution strategies regarding alliances in panchayat, as well as Sonowal Kachari and Mishing Autonomous Council elections, which were also due, are set to be finalised at the party's PAC meeting scheduled for Sunday.
"As assessment at the ground level is ongoing by Congress regarding the panchayat election, it is likely that if and only if the district committees of Congress desire, there will be an alliance at the district level. For Sonowal Kachari and Mishing Autonomous Council elections, too, Congress is planning to join hands with local parties there. At the state level, Congress will not forge an alliance before panchayat polls. At the political affairs committee meeting of the state PCC, a decision on these lines is anticipated," a senior functionary of Assam PCC said on Saturday.
Meanwhile, it was determined in Saturday's meeting that Congress would raise the Adani issue to challenge the ruling BJP ahead of the ensuing elections. "Despite Gautam Adani and his company bringing shame to the nation globally, the NDA govt led by Narendra Modi has not initiated any investigation or legal proceedings against Adani, which demonstrates the BJP govt's leniency towards corruption. To raise awareness against corruption, Congress will organise a nationwide campaign on Dec 18. Congress will also call upon the public to criticise the govt's failure to control the violence in states like Manipur," Assam PCC media department chairperson Bedabrata Bora said in a release.
In this connection, based on instructions from All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal, the Assam Pradesh Congress will march to the Raj Bhavan to meet the governor on Dec 18. Jitendra Singh on Saturday reviewed the organisational aspects of upper, lower, central Assam, and the Barak Valley along with district Congress presidents and leaders at Rajiv Bhavan here on Saturday.
Under the leadership of Bhupen Borah, a day-long organisational meeting was held, where the preparations for the panchayat elections and organisational activities were reviewed with the leadership of the Mahila Congress, Youth Congress, Seva Dal, and NSUI. On Sunday at 9:30 am, a meeting of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee's PAC will be held at Rajiv Bhavan, with Jitendra Singh, the general secretary in charge of Assam, participating.