Mamata wants my party to merge with TMC, says Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi

Akhil Gogoi had earlier met TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Kolkata. Three rounds of meetings between Raijor Dal and TMC have already taken place.

Published on: Aug 8, 2021, 22:24:11 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi said on Sunday that he has got an offer from Trinamool Congress (TMC) requesting him to merge his party with them and head its unit in Assam.

Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi has said that his party has started talks with Congress to discuss the coming by-polls in Assam. (PTI PHOTO.)

“They have given a proposal that Raijor Dal should merge with TMC and I should head the party’s unit in Assam,” said the Sibsagar MLA without divulging what would be his party’s stand on the offer.

Gogoi had earlier met TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Kolkata. Three rounds of meetings between Raijor Dal and TMC have already taken place. People aware of the development in Gogoi’s party said that they have decided not to merge with TMC.

“If we have to remove Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power, a confederation of regional parties will play an important role. Hence under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, all regional parties of India have to come together,” he added.

Gogoi mentioned that Raijor Dal has started talks with Congress to discuss the coming by-polls in Assam and the prospect of opposition parties, except All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) joining hands.

“We’ve had initial discussions with Congress. Some of their leaders are saying that they want to part ways with AIUDF, which was part of the ‘grand alliance’ for the assembly polls,”

By-polls in at least five seats are to be held in the coming weeks after two newly elected MLAs died due to Covid-19, two Congress MLAs quit the party and joined BJP and former CM and Majuli MLA Sarbananda Sonowal joined the Union Cabinet last month.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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