SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: The headquarters of the three districts of Congress in Barak Valley are engaged in retrospection and introspection after the just concluded three day visit of APCC president Bhupen Bora. His emotional but impassioned address to packed auditoriums of workers and leaders at Karimganj, Hailakandi and Silchar was not only different from the usual stereotype speeches but also quite inspiring. The youth brigades at the three meeting grounds were set to rethink how best their party could be bolstered up to challenge the ruling BJP.
The State President boosted them up and reminded them that Congress has the history of winning all the 126 seats of the State. Barak Valley was its bastion where no other parties, particularly the Left, of the time could stand before Congress. The advent of BJP in 1980 and AIUDF in 2006 did pose tough hurdle on the victory march. According to political analysts, its alliance with AIUDF in 2021 proved to be a disaster. Worst to happen was the emergence and growth of Ajmal party due to the vote-bank and appeasement policy of INC.
Bhupen Bora like many other of his ilk may not admit it, but this is the reality. Caught in this triangular challenge, it is the self-confidence and strong will of young workers and leaders who can strengthen the party from grass-root level to booth, block and core stages as the State President exhorted the youths in desperation to redraw a new roadmap. Congress has faced still bad crises and overcome them, he pointed out. Bhupen Bora did not go for overdrive and succeeded in conveying the message he intended to.
Like a seasoned politician, without naming Sushmita Dev who is now TMC's Rajya Sabha member, Bhupen Bora hit the nail right to say Congress is like a banyan tree to withstand whirlwind and storm. It will come and go away. "We the young and old guards have to work hand to hand to take the party forward," he said. The important thing that he revealed was to fight all elections alone, 2024 MP and 2026 Assembly elections of Assam. Growing resentment against ruling BJP at rising price-rise and corruptions will be the handy weapons to beat BJP on its own turf.
Congress can come back if rank and file work together as advised by Bhupen Bora. This is possible. The only strategy that the INC leaders of the valley have to adopt is door to door campaign across the urban and rural areas of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi with message of good governance. The large turn outs did give hope to leaders that Congress is all set to become a strong party once again.
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