A long-simmering political rivalry between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has sharpened into one of the state’s fiercest political showdowns, with roots tracing back to a decade-old power struggle within the Congress.
The origins of the feud lie in the later years of the Congress government in Assam, when Sarma — then a senior minister — reportedly grew increasingly dissatisfied with the party’s leadership. Tensions escalated amid perceptions that then chief minister Tarun Gogoi was promoting his son Gaurav Gogoi within the party. The rift eventually led Sarma to quit the Congress in 2015 and join the BJP, a move widely seen as pivotal to the BJP’s subsequent rise in Assam.
Since then, what began as an internal party disagreement has evolved into a sustained political and personal rivalry. The two leaders have frequently traded sharp public remarks, keeping the contest in the political spotlight. In recent months, the confrontation has intensified further, with Sarma making controversial allegations about Gogoi’s alleged foreign links - claims the Congress leader has strongly denied.
The political temperature has also risen on the legal front. Sarma has filed a ₹500-crore defamation suit against several Congress leaders, including Gogoi, signalling an escalation beyond routine political sparring.
The rivalry is expected to play a significant role in the run-up to the 2026 Assam Assembly elections. The BJP is likely to project Sarma’s governance record, while the Congress appears increasingly inclined to position Gogoi as a key face of its campaign in the state.
Political observers say the Sarma-Gogoi face-off reflects not only a personal and generational clash but also the broader battle between the BJP and the Congress for political dominance in Assam. With campaigning set to intensify over the coming months, the decade-old feud shows little sign of cooling.
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