Guwahati: In a big political development in Assam, two recently launched regional political parties – Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Raijor Dal (led by jailed KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi) have finalised their alliance and would be fighting the upcoming Assam Assembly elections together. President of AJP, Lurinjyoti Gogoi met Akhil Gogoi at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) where he is undergoing treatment for some ailments, and gave the final touches to the alliance.
"We have been saying that AJP and Raijor Dal would fight the upcoming state elections together. This is my first formal meeting with Gogoi after we both took over as president of both our parties. I would like to announce that we have agreed to form an alliance with Raijor Dal for the upcoming state elections. We have finalised our decision. A formal announcement would be made soon," Lurinjyoti Gogoi told reporters outside GMCH after his meeting with Akhil Gogoi.
Lurinjyoti Gogoi had earlier said that AJP would be contesting all the 126 Assembly seats and had expressed confidence that the people of Assam would vote for a regional nationalist party to power in 2021.
Commenting on Akhil Gogoi being in jail since December 2019, Lurinjyoti Gogoi said that the government has acted in an "undemocratic and fascist" manner by keeping Akhil Gogoi in jail for so long. He said that Akhil Gogoi had participated in people's movement (during the anti-CAA agitation that had rocked Assam in 2019) and not in any anti-national movement.
Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who was accompanied by party's general secretary, Jagadish Bhuyan, said that they also enquired about the health of Akhil Gogoi and wished him a speedy recovery.
Lurinjyoti Gogoi, the former general secretary of All Assam Student's Union (AASU) joined the newly-floated AJP in December 2020. AJP was launched in September 2020 by All Assam Student Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP).
Raijor Dal was formed on October 2, 2020 and Akhil Gogoi was named the president even a he continues to be in jail.
Akhil Gogoi was arrested in December 2019 on charges of instigating violence during the anti-CAA agitations of 2019. He has been granted bail in three of the four cases filed against him. There are cases filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Gogoi.