Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he views the plans of opposition leaders Akhil Gogoi and Lurinjyoti Gogoi to contest 26 Assembly seats in the upcoming elections as unrealistic. He said that both leaders do not have a strong organisational base across the state to support such a political move.
Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said that the base of support for Akhil Gogoi and Lurinjyoti Gogoi is limited only to a few places in Assam. According to him, they may have supporters in some constituencies, but that is not enough to challenge the ruling party on a statewide level.
He further said that even if the two leaders receive 26 seats to contest, winning those seats will still be very difficult for them. He said that their political influence is not very strong across Assam, and therefore their claims regarding seat plans do not appear convincing. 
Akhil Gogoi is currently the MLA from Sivasagar and president of Raijor Dal, while Lurinjyoti Gogoi leads the Assam Jatiya Parishad. The Chief Minister’s statement is seen as a direct political challenge to both leaders and their parties.
Meanwhile, Akhil Gogoi has made it clear that he does not agree with the recent public stand taken by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on opposition seat-sharing discussions. He said that talks regarding seat sharing among opposition parties are still continuing and should not be conducted openly through the media.
According to Akhil Gogoi, such important political discussions should take place through internal dialogue between parties, and not through daily media statements or television debates. He also said that earlier Gaurav Gogoi himself had stated that these talks should not be held publicly, and questioned why that approach was not followed this time.
He said that unity among opposition parties will only be possible if discussions are held with patience and respect. He added that leaders should avoid making public remarks that may create confusion among party workers or supporters. He said that the talks are not yet complete and that more meetings are needed before any final decision is made.
Akhil Gogoi also said that the people of Assam expect responsible behaviour from political leaders, and therefore seat-sharing issues should be handled carefully and internally.
Earlier, on January 1, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) announced its preparation plans for the 2026 Assembly elections. Party president Gaurav Gogoi said during a press conference in New Delhi that the Congress has prepared a roadmap focusing on development, governance and political unity in Assam.
He also confirmed that 26 Assembly seats will be reserved for alliance partners as part of the broader opposition strategy. He said the Congress wants to build a stronger and more inclusive state and will work on simple, people-focused development if it forms the government.
The Congress has also opened the application process for party tickets. Forms can be downloaded online and later submitted at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati. Although the party plans to contest around 100 seats, applications are open for all constituencies. Those who apply for tickets in the 26 seats reserved for alliance partners will later receive a refund of their fees, as those seats will eventually go to other parties in the alliance.
