Raijor Dal founder and sitting MLA Akhil Gogoi is contesting the 2026 Assam Assembly elections from his Sivasagar (Sibsagar) constituency. Often referred to as a “son of the soil,” Gogoi, a leading voice for regionalism and indigenous rights, heads the Raijor Dal as part of the broader opposition alliance that aims to challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s decade-long dominance.
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Gogoi’s 2026 campaign builds on his legacy as a controversial activist. Since winning his first election in 2021 while still in judicial custody, he has turned Sivasagar into a bastion of anti-CAA sentiment and popular resistance. In this election, he has portrayed the contest as a battle for the “survival of Assamese identity,” often highlighting issues such as large dam projects, land rights for the landless, and the rising cost of living under the current administration.
early life
Akhil Gogoi was born in 1975 (age 51) in Selingat village, Jorhat, and was raised by his parents, late Bulwaram and Priyada Gogoi. He is an alumnus of the prestigious Cotton College, Guwahati (1996), where he studied English Literature and served as General Secretary of the Students Union.
His political roots go back to Marxist ideology, where he edited the journal Natun Padatik. Before forming the Raijor Dal in 2020, he led the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a powerful farmers’ rights organization that led state-level movements against corruption and big dams.
He is married to Gitashree Tamuli, an associate professor, and they have a son, Nachiketa.
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Around Sivasagar Circle
Sivasagar constituency, the historical capital of the Ahom kingdom, has nearly 2 lakh voters. It is a sector where local pride and cultural history play a pivotal role. In his 2026 affidavit, Gogoi declared the value of the total assets $1.12 crore, an increase of $1.51 Crore (with spouse) in 2021 announced.
His legislative focus was improving local health care, preserving Ahom era relics, and modernizing the regional educational infrastructure. For the 2026 elections, he promised to turn Sivasagar into a global tourism hub and committed to a “pro-farmer” economic model that removes middlemen from the agricultural supply chain.
What happened in the previous elections?
In the 2021 Assembly elections, Akhil Gogoi created history by winning the Sivasagar seat as an independent candidate (supported by Raijor Dal) while being detained under UAPA charges related to anti-CAA protests. He defeated BJP’s Surabhi Rajkonwar by a margin of 11,875 votes, getting more than 46% of the total vote share.
Before his victory in 2021, the seat was a Congress bastion held by veteran Pranab Kumar Gogoi for three terms. The entry of Akhil Gogoi disrupted the two parties’ traditional hold on the region. In the current 2026 session, his party has entered into a seat-sharing arrangement with the Indian National Congress, with Gogoi serving as the opposition’s chief strategist in upper Assam.
Polling in Sivasagar concluded on April 9, 2026, with Gogoi expressing absolute confidence in the “people’s mandate” for change.
