The Opposition Congress in Assam on Sunday staged a massive rally in Dibrugarh district to mark the conclusion of its state-wide Block Level Agent (BLA) training to safeguard voters’ rights, with state unit chief Gaurav Gogoi exhorting party members to dedicate “100 days to the party” to oust the BJP-led alliance from power.

At the same time in Guwahati, BJP workers staged a protest against Congress leaders allegedly making derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother in Darbhanga, Bihar. Congress leaders alleged that BJP supporters attempted to storm the state party headquarters, Rajiv Bhavan, tearing down banners and posters.

Speakers at the Congress meet rally, held inside a tea garden in Dibrugarh, flagged concerns about alleged voter manipulation that has drawn national attention following Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar. They urged grassroots workers to remain alert to foil any such attempts during the upcoming special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Assam.

The state-wide BLA training, which began on August 24, coincided with the Congress’s “vote chor gaddi chor” campaign in support of Rahul’s yatra. Gogoi said the party had trained 27,000 BLAs, adding that all senior state leaders had participated. “The turnout shows the Congress is not finished in Upper Assam. If we remain vigilant and give 100 days to the party, I am confident we can form the government,” he said.

Taking on chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union home minister Amit Shah, Gogoi declared he would not be intimidated by allegations of links with Pakistan. “We belong to the family of the brave Lachit Borphukan. We have the blessings of the people of Assam,” he asserted.

The rally also featured Jharkhand minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey, who reminded party workers that her state had rejected BJP’s “polarising campaign” last year. Tirkey, an Adivasi leader, urged Assam’s BLAs to resist attempts by the BJP to win them over, underscoring Congress’s outreach to influential tea garden and tribal voters.

Senior leaders projected unity at the rally, expressing faith in Gogoi and CLP leader Debabrata Saikia. State Seva Dal president Deep Bayan said that while the training programme had ended, area-wise sessions could be held if necessary.

In Guwahati, BJP protests against the Darbhanga remarks led to a brief face-off with Congress members, though security personnel prevented escalation.