Assam, March 7: Jailed peasant leader Akhil Gogoi will contest the upcoming Assam Assembly election from the Sivasagar constituency as a candidate of the newly formed political party Raijor Dal.
Akhil Gogoi is currently lodged in jail for over a year after the NIA booked him on charges of sedition and terrorism under provisions of the UAPA, following his involvement in the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protests in Assam.
Akhil Gogoi is also the president of Raijor Dal backed by Assam’s farmer organisation Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and 70 other organisations.
Announcing the list of 18 candidates, the party leaders said in a press conference held in Guwahati that the party has decided to contest in only 18 seats in the first two phases of the election.
“Our party has decided to contest in only 18 seats for not dividing the votes so that BJP is defeated. We want that an anti-CAA government is formed in Assam,” said Raijor Dal working president Bhasco De Saikia.
He further said that, president of Raijor Dal Akhil Gogoi will contest in the upcoming assembly polls from Sivasagar district.
Also Read: Assam: Jailed activist Akhil Gogoi seeks United Opposition Candidate
Apart from Sivasagar, the newly floated party has also announced the list of candidates for 17 other constituencies Chabua, Moran, Mahmara, Teok, Bokakhat, Rupohihat, Dhing, Tezpur, Bihpuria, Rangapara, Thowra, Raha, Rangia, Kamalpur, Karimganj, Dalgaon and Jamunamukh.
Raijor Dal has stitched an alliance with another new political party Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) which is backed by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU).
The elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held in three phases, beginning on March 27.
