The Assam edition of Congress’ ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ has completed one month. It started from Dhubri district and is set to cover a distance of 834 km from Dhubri to Sadiya before ending in mid-December.
The state leaders started the yatra on 1 November from Golakganj town in Dhubri district near the Indo-Bangladesh border.
It was always a question whether the Congress, which is already a weak force in Assam, can mobilize people and party workers through this campaign.
Ahead of the launch, the grassroots party workers were not enthusiastic about the yatra. There was confusion among the workers regarding this and the state unit failed to motivate them.
While the Congress yatra has so far drawn huge crowds at some places, the party may not get the support it needs to put up a strong fight against the BJP in the next elections.
The biggest concern for the party is that many of its workers have stayed away from campaigning.
Assam Congress President Bhupen Bora has also accepted this fact. He said: “We have seen that many party workers in Assam have given up the yatra. At least 30 percent office bearers are absent from the Bharat Jodo Yatra.”
They include some senior party leaders and MLAs and this has created an uneasy situation within the party. Bora said that many party workers attend the meetings only when the party in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh Alwar comes to the state.
Meanwhile, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Jitendra Singh Alwar has directed Assam Pradesh Congress President Bhupen Bora to provide a list of leaders and party workers who have left the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
In a letter to Bora, Singh wrote: “I have been attending the yatra from time to time and I have noticed that some of the APCC office bearers, executive members, DCC/Block presidents/OBs and leaders are not attending the yatra or have not undertaken any journey. Try to make this historical journey a success. Please prepare a list of such office bearers/executive members/leaders and submit the same immediately after the yatra is over.”
The top leadership of the Congress in Assam is worried that more party leaders will join hands with the BJP.
The Congress party in Assam has been in deep trouble since last year when some of its MLAs switched over to the BJP while some others were suspended for anti-party activities.
The presidential election held in July brought further problems for the Congress as it was alleged that many party members voted in favor of the NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu, who won.
The high command warned of stern action against these ‘traitors’, but even after three months have passed, the party has hardly taken any action.
Party leaders hoped that the Assam edition of the Bharat Jodo Yatra would enthuse the workers and rejuvenate the organisation. however, it apparently failed to do so.
All this has pleased BJP leaders, who claim that many Congressmen are queuing up to join the BJP.
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