Will expose ''corruption'' of BJP-led govt in Assam, claims Cong''s Gaurav Gogoi

Newly appointed Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Monday claimed that his party will expose the alleged corruption of the BJP-led government in the state and assured people of protecting democracy by upholding the freedom of speech.

He began his last day of a three-day procession by visiting Batadrava Than - Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva's sacred birthplace - in Nagaon district.

Accompanied by senior party leaders, Gogoi offered prayers to the saint.

Outside the Than, he told reporters that prayers were also offered for the well-being of every citizen of Assam.

Replying to a media query on the proposed opposition alliance, Gogoi said there is a need to strengthen the organisation of the Congress in Assam.

''We will expose the rampant corruption, allegedly being done by the present BJP-led Assam government in the state. We will fight with strength against the anti-people misdeeds,'' the Congress leader said.

Gogoi also assured people that the party will protect democracy by upholding freedom of speech and free journalism instead of the ''present BJP-led government's alleged atrocities on journalists of Assam''.

On his trip to Batadrava Than, he was joined by Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain, Batadrava MLA Sibamoni Bora, Rupahihat MLA Nurul Huda, Titabor MLA Bhaskar Jyoti Baruah and other senior party leaders and workers.

''The visit underscores the party's outreach efforts and reverence for Assam's cultural and spiritual heritage. After performing his prayer, Gogoi interacted with the Than Management Committee for a while. Earlier, Gogoi was felicitated by his well-wishers at Raidangia near Batadrava,'' a Congress spokesperson said.

Gogoi reached Nagaon on Sunday night and was accorded a rousing welcome by party supporters.

The Congress leader met his well-wishers in Kuthori, Bagori, Jakhalabandha, Kaliabor Tiniali, Naltali, Ambagan, Rupahi and Barghat areas of the district late on Sunday.

On his return to Nagaon town from Batadrava this morning, Gogoi was felicitated by party workers at Bhomoraguri, Bhakatgaon, Sonaighat Chalchali, Haibargaon, Barbheti and Barapujia, where he interacted with people and shared his feelings to work for them in coming days, the party's spokesperson said.

Gogoi is scheduled to reach Guwahati late at night after passing through Morigaon district's Jaluguti, Morigaon Town, Jagiroad and Kahikuchi. He began his procession from Sivasagar.

Gogoi will meet Congress workers on Tuesday at the party's headquarters in Guwahati and officially take charge as the president of its state unit.

''From Saturday to Monday, Gogoi is expected to cover 18 assembly constituencies in Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Golaghat and Nagaon districts,'' a Congress spokesperson said.

Earlier, many posters, hoardings and banners put up in various places of Nagaon town to welcome Gogoi were destroyed by unidentified miscreants.

Besides, the Nagaon Municipal Board (NMB) authority also removed and took away banners and hoardings on Monday morning for allegedly displaying these ''without any permission''.

Gogoi was made the party's state unit chief at a time when Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had been attacking him over his British wife's alleged connection with Pakistan's spy agency ISI. He replaced Bhupen Kumar Borah as the Congress state president and will lead the party in the state, where assembly elections are due next year.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)