Congress Pleased With Assam's Response To Yatra, But Wary Of Electoral Gains
Since that time, the BJP has been in charge of the state. Saikia, who is in charge of a brand-new team working to increase the chances of the Congress winning elections, stated to PTI, "The usefulness of the Yatra had been questioned by our adversaries, particularly those in positions of authority. It wasn't about bolstering the party; rather, it was about highlighting the problems facing the populace and the shortcomings of those in power. In this, we've been successful." The Barpeta MP, Khaleque, noted that the Yatra "had achieved its aim of engaging with the people" by drawing attendees from all spheres of life." It's still uncertain, though, if the movement will have a lasting effect. "As of right now, all we can say is that the party will be more visible."
The "people's response" to the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state has given the party leadership cause for celebration. The Congress had previously been the dominant force in Assam since Independence, but its support had been eroding over the previous eight years.
Political observers, however, argued that although the Yatra gave the state's main Opposition party "exposure," it is still unclear whether the walkathon will have an impact on the election.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Assam Congress was completed last week at Sadiya, the state's easternmost point, after travelling 835 kilometres in 45 days.
Debabrata Saikia, the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly, argued that the Yatra had served to "motivate the party workers, especially following election failures."For the final phase of the Yatra at Sadiya, he claimed, "workers from the western part, such as Dhubri, Golapara, and Barpeta, slept at Tinsukia."
"The public's response has been much better than anticipated. Some people believed that there wouldn't be as much support for the Yatra once it departed the minority-dominated districts. However, individuals from various communities and castes joined us "Abdul Khaleque, a Lok Sabha member, told PTI.
Pallavi Deka, a political science professor at the Handique Girls' College in this city, believes Yatra has "charged Congress persons across India," but she is sceptical that it would have any impact on the party's election prospects.The Assam Movement of 1979–1985 rocked the party, which had ruled the state since independence until the middle of the 1980s, and caused the newcomer Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) to emerge as a rival to the established party. The first non-Congress administration in the northeastern state was established in 1985.
The Congress, however, was able to retake power in 1991, and from 2001 until 2014, the party had a tight grip on power in Dispur after once more losing the 1996 state elections to another AGP-led administration.
The grand old party's poll fortunes took a turn for the worse in 2014 when its rising star Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the BJP and helped the saffron party win its first significant election.Since that time, the BJP has been in charge of the state.
Saikia, who is in charge of a brand-new team working to increase the chances of the Congress winning elections, stated to PTI, "The usefulness of the Yatra had been questioned by our adversaries, particularly those in positions of authority. It wasn't about bolstering the party; rather, it was about highlighting the problems facing the populace and the shortcomings of those in power. In this, we've been successful."
The Barpeta MP, Khaleque, noted that the Yatra "had achieved its aim of engaging with the people" by drawing attendees from all spheres of life."
It's still uncertain, though, if the movement will have a lasting effect.
"As of right now, all we can say is that the party will be more visible."
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