Sarma’s rivalry with Gogoi is no secret and his cabinet colleagues also campaigned in Jorhat, making it clear that it was a prestige battle. While the Congress did not increase its tally in Assam, Gogoi’s victory by a margin of 1.44 lakh votes is being projected as a moral defeat for Sarma.
In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Gogoi said the results in Assam had far greater significance compared with 2019, and that it should be seen as the semifinal before the 2026 assembly elections. Gogoi, who was the deputy leader of the Congress in the outgoing Lok Sabha, also spoke about his expectation that a strong opposition would hold the government to account in the house. Excerpts:
Q/ Would you rate Jorhat as your toughest electoral battle?
A/ It has been the toughest moment not only politically, but professionally, even when I compare with the time before I joined politics. Although I expected victory, the margin was unexpected. The amount of affection I got was unexpected. While the polling percentage dropped in many seats, in Jorhat it shot up by two points. People said they travelled for miles to cast their vote. I met a person who had come from Dubai just to vote.
Q/ The chief minister himself focused a lot on Jorhat. Did his campaign backfire?
This story is from the June 23, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 23, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Why Trump covets Greenland
There’s no denying it. Donald Trump is a prince among real estate developers, known for his pushy, winner-takes-all approach.
Bomb man who kept his mouth shut
The best thing about Rajagopala Chidambaram, who passed away recently, was that he “could keep his mouth shut”, as his mentor Raja Ramanna wrote in his memoir, Years of Pilgrimage. No wonder, he tested six atom bombs with no CIA, ISI or satellite spy eyes getting any wiser beforehand.
Extreme to mainstream
With the recent surrender of six Naxals, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declares Karnataka almost “Naxal-free”. The BJP is questioning his “closeness” to the far left
SUMMITS, SURVIVAL AND SERVICE
Mountaineering expeditions play a crucial role in mountain warfare training
EYES ON THE ICE
THE INDIAN ARMY TRAINS ITS MOUNTAIN WARRIORS AT THE MACHOI GLACIER WHERE THEY LEARN ICE AND SNOW CRAFT IN SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES. THE HIGH ALTITUDE WARFARE SCHOOL IN GULMARG PREPARES THEM FOR WARS THAT ARE DRIVEN BY TECHNOLOGY AND INTELLIGENCE. ON SNOW-COVERED BATTLEFIELDS LIKE THE HIMALAYAS, THE ARMY WANTS ITS JUNIOR LEADERSHIP TO BECOME DECISION-MAKERS AT THE TACTICAL LEVEL
Time to dream big
Every year, January 12 is celebrated as National Youth Day—as homage to the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, honouring his enduring teachings and visionary ideas.
Climbing the power ladder
In his latest book, T.V. Paul explores India's search for its day in the sun as a global power
Howdy, rowdies
The world is already exhausted, and Donald Trump has not even begun his second term.
The going gets rough
It’s been a very macho fortnight
Eastward Ho!
Odisha, which hosted this year's Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, is emerging as a focal point for India's Act East Policy, given the turmoil in the northeast
