Efforts to revive Opposition unity ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in Assam have received a boost with several parties asserting on a united fight against the ruling BJP-led alliance in the state.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi rest all speculations about the Congress’s stand on pre-poll alliance, asserting that the party “will not contest the Assembly polls alone and march ahead by talking to everyone”.

Gogoi asserted that there will be a good fight this time, while seeking the support of everyone, from traders to the common man, in this fight. His assertion on a united fight came on Sunday on the second day of the Assam United Citizens’ Convention here.

A BJP-led alliance has been in power in the state since 2016. The Congress is the principal Opposition, but it has lost a lot of ground since 2014 before losing power in 2016.

Akhil Gogoi of Raijor Dal and Lurinjyoti Gogoi of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) also pushed for a pre-poll alliance, which had come unstuck during the bypolls in the state last year.

Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti said the people of the state wanted a united fight and that everyone has to work towards it.

Akhil Gogoi, who blamed the Congress for the “Opposition disunity” during the bypolls, said he was waiting for the Congress to initiate pre-poll talks with like-minded parties for a united front.

Akhil also made it clear that he would be flexible about the number of seats (two or 25) his party gets if there is an Opposition unity.

The convention assumes importance because it was the “outcome of months” of preparation by several leading citizens, including Hiren Gohain, Ajit Bhuyan, Abdul Manan, Paresh Malakar, H.K. Deka and Santanu Borthakur.

Sources said they tried to get “democratic-minded citizens, CSOs, activists and political parties together” against divisive forces in society, forces against the environment, the BJP’s “failure” to deliver on the promises for the state. The convention was a result of these discussions, they said.

Paresh Malakar, one of the conveners, said: “The convention has fuelled Opposition unity, but to achieve unity, the parties and the civil society have to work for it sincerely. From CSOs to political parties to prominent citizens, everyone responded positively by attending the convention. But we want to make it clear.

“The convention is not only about Opposition unity against the ruling BJP, but of people’s unity against the BJP. It has to be a people’s movement against the BJP,” he said

Flood scare

Three river sites in Assam are experiencing a “severe flood situation”, according to the daily flood bulletin issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC) on Monday.

The three sites are the Dhansiri (South) river in Golaghat and Numaligarh in Assam and the Dikhow river in Assam’s Sivasagar.

Additional reporting by PTI.