Congress Hits Out at BJP Over Attack on Senior Leaders’ Convoy in Assam

Guwahati: The Assam Congress has alleged that its leaders were attacked while campaigning for the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election in Assam. The party claimed the convoy faced “Go Back” slogans and black-flag protests before stones, bottles and other objects were hurled at the vehicles.

The leaders present in the convoy included former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi, party MP Rakibul Hussain and the party’s candidate Sibamoni Bora.

Congress leader Naseer Hussain told reporters that the incident formed part of a broader Bharatiya Janata Party pattern of intimidating Opposition leaders and discouraging voters. “Is there any doubt about who is behind this attack? It is absolutely clear— this is the Bharatiya Janata Party’s pattern… Attack senior leaders, pelt stones at them, injure them, so that the leadership at the lower levels and the workers become afraid and do not participate in the election process, and voters do not come out to vote,” he said.

The remarks followed an allegation by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi that BJP workers attacked the convoy carrying Mr Baghel, Mr Gogoi and others while they were travelling to an election rally on Monday.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma rejected the charge, describing the episode as a “clash between rival factions within the Congress itself” and urging the party’s state leadership to address its internal differences.