Akhil Gogoi, part of the Raijor Dal, is contesting from the Sivasagar seat after his prominent anti-CAA activity. It is part of a newly formed alliance with Congress.
Akhil Gogoi is the leader of the Raijor Dal party, which is contesting the elections from the Sivasagar seat. He remains a crucial figure in Assam politics due to his unique ability to bridge the gap between popular regionalism and high-stakes legislative opposition.
Gogoi, who rose to power from the anti-CAA movement, filed his nomination from this seat to seek a second term. His primary support comes from indigenous Assamese communities, especially peasants, rural youth and the Ahom community in upper Assam, who see him as a protector of land rights and identity.
Read also | Assam Assembly Elections 2026: Gaurav Gogoi leads Congress’ comeback campaign against BJP
5 Key Facts about Akhil Gogoi
- In the 2026 elections, his Raijor Dal party is contesting 13 seats across the state. Despite being a regional player, the party is focusing on strategic pockets in upper and central Assam where Gogoi’s ‘people first’ ideology resonates strongly.
- In a dramatic turn of events, the alliance with Congress was finalized just weeks before the elections. Initially, there were major disagreements over seat sharing, but the “Asome Sunmilito Morcha” (United Opposition Forum) was consolidated when Gogoi and Gaurav Gogoi reached a consensus to prevent a split in the anti-incumbency vote.
- People support him because he is seen as a “brave voice” who is not afraid to challenge the powerful. He gains votes by highlighting local issues such as “fake meetings”, land rights for the landless, and his consistent use of the Land Access Act to expose corruption, presenting himself as a “common man” candidate against the “corporate-backed” establishment.
- He was born in Selingat village, Jorhat. Gogoi’s rise is a story of academic excellence met with social activism. After graduating from Cotton College, he chose the life of a social reformer over a traditional professional life, and founded the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) to organize the rural masses, eventually reaching the state assembly as a powerful regional voice.
- 2021 and CAA conflict: His political legacy is inseparable from the anti-CAA movement, during which he was imprisoned for more than 500 days on sedition charges. In an unparalleled feat in Indian politics, he won the 2021 Sivasagar elections from a prison cell, without addressing a single rally, relying entirely on his mother and volunteers to take his message to voters.
Khushboo Sahu is a journalist in the Internet Desk, helping with research, writing, editing and curation of digital content, while gaining experience in search engine optimization and content publishing workflow. She is currently pursuing PGDM in English Journalism from Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. Khushboo earned her BA in German from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where she developed a strong foundation in language, culture and global perspectives. She received a scholarship to attend a language program at Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania, which gave her international exposure and the opportunity to engage with diverse cultural and academic environments across Europe. Her areas of interest include politics, international relations, public policy, and human interest stories. She is particularly interested in exploring how policies impact communities on the ground. She previously worked as a Content Writer at Karamrath and was associated with Gandhi Fellowship, where she was involved in grassroots development initiatives. She is also trained in public policy, where she has contributed to the development of research and programs in the education sector.Read more
