Anyone who speaks or acts against the party will face action, Rahul Gandhi tells Assam leaders

Rahul Gandhi emphasizes unity in Congress to challenge Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government in Assam elections.

State leaders must put up a collective and united front to take on the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government in Assam, and anyone stepping out of the party line will face action, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi told leaders from Assam on Thursday (February 27, 2025).

Mr. Gandhi made these comments at a meeting, which took place at the party’s Indira Bhawan headquarters, to review Congress’ preparation for the Assembly elections in Assam next year. The election to the 126-member Assam Assembly is slated for the first half as the tenure of the current Assembly ends on May 20, 2026.

The meeting, presided by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, general secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh, Deputy Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah and the LoP in Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia among others.

“Rahulji told Jitendra Singh that if anyone speaks or acts against the party, he should be fired. And Mr. Singh will be personally responsible for such action,” a leader, who attended the meeting, told The Hindu.

Sources said that contrary to speculation of an impending leadership change and the possibility of Mr. Gogoi being given a bigger role in the State, the top brass of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) stressed on collective leadership.

On the issue of striking alliance with regional patries in the State, AICC leadership assured the local leadership that they would largely go by the suggestion of the State unit.

In the meeting, that went on for two hours, the Congress top brass urged the State leaders to focus misgovernance and alleged scams in BJP rule and take up people’s issues.