Guwahati: In a significant development following a high-level closed-door meeting at Hotel Kiranshree Grand, Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge have reportedly made land rights for Assam’s indigenous people their top agenda, especially in the wake of widespread protests against land grabs for mega-projects across the state. Sources within the grand old party indicate a strong commitment to formulate and implement policies ensuring these rights if the Congress comes to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
The senior Congress leadership, addressing a diverse gathering of party functionaries and representatives from various tribal and indigenous communities at the hotel near the airport, declared that land rights would be a central electoral plank in Assam. Delegates from areas like Parbatjhora, Barduar Tea Estate, Karbi Anglong, Chapar, and Bilasipara, all hotspots of land-related tensions, were present. The discussions were facilitated by the Bhoomi Adhikar Suraksha Samiti, a land rights protection committee, which also submitted a memorandum detailing grievances against the current BJP government’s eviction drives in forest, tea garden, and tribal belt areas, including Kaziranga and Mikir Bamuni Grant.
The delegates vehemently accused the BJP government of displacing indigenous populations to benefit corporate giants such as Adani, Ambani, and Jay Shah, alleging that the ruling party is “building colonies for crony capitalists while evicting original inhabitants of Assam.” Both Kharge and Gandhi assured the delegation that the Congress would vociferously raise these issues in both Parliament and the Assam Assembly, pledging to reverse “unjust evictions.” Rahul Gandhi reportedly affirmed the party’s resolve to “fight for the rights of every indigenous person who has been wronged by this government.”
Adding another layer to the discussions, the Karbi Anglong unit of the Congress presented a statement strongly criticising the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) leadership, particularly targeting Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang as “the most corrupt politician” in the region. They demanded a comprehensive investigation into alleged land scams and resource mismanagement under his tenure.
The Congress leadership asserted that the current regime has failed the people of Assam over the past five years, citing rampant unemployment, landlessness, corruption, and a consistent erosion of indigenous rights. A senior leader remarked, “There is a visible wave of resentment among the people. The BJP government has pushed daily lives into distress. People have started losing faith in this regime, and it is time for Congress to channel that sentiment into action.”
Looking ahead to the 2026 polls, Kharge and Gandhi exhorted state Congress workers and leaders to prepare with “utmost honesty and relentless effort,” promising full support from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC). Kharge stressed, “We have to gain people’s confidence by standing beside them in times of distress. It is not just about politics, it is about people’s lives and dignity.”
Later in the day, the senior leaders engaged in a crucial meeting with members of the Political Affairs Committee, PCC Office Bearers, MPs, MLAs, DCC Presidents, and heads of frontal organisations at the Congress headquarters in Guwahati. This meeting was aimed at strategising grassroots mobilisation, particularly in areas grappling with land conflicts and evictions. Rahul Gandhi underscored the importance of forging alliances with social organisations and grassroots movements across Assam to create a united front against the BJP’s policies.
The Congress’s renewed emphasis on land rights emerges as the BJP government in Assam continues its intensive eviction drives in ecologically sensitive and demographically diverse regions, a move that has drawn considerable political and civil society backlash. As the countdown to the 2026 Assembly elections commences, these meetings signal a decisive strategic shift for the Congress in Assam, focusing on regaining lost ground by addressing indigenous grievances and reframing the electoral battle as a fight for dignity against dispossession.
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