Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has raised serious questions regarding voter lists and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) while reacting to the party’s electoral performance in Assam. Speaking to the media, Gogoi questioned whether “Assamese people will continue to have a decisive role in Assam’s politics or whether outsiders will determine the state’s future.”
Referring to allegations surrounding voter lists, Gogoi claimed that names of people from outside states were being included in electoral rolls in Assam. He said concerns over the voter list had been raised earlier as well and mentioned reports and visuals allegedly showing people arriving by buses and trains.
The Congress leader also questioned the functioning and battery performance of EVMs. Comparing EVM batteries with ordinary mobile phone and vehicle batteries, Gogoi asked what kind of “technology” allowed EVM batteries to retain charge for long periods without significant discharge.
“Mobile phones lose charge, vehicle batteries drain over time, but many representatives have reportedly seen EVM battery percentages remaining unusually high even after many days,” Gogoi stated while demanding clarification from election authorities and returning officers.
Gogoi said discussions on the entire electoral process were important for democracy and added that public feedback on strategy, party policies, and organizational functioning would be taken seriously by the Congress party.
At the same time, he claimed that many people in Assam were still interested in joining the Congress party to “protect democracy” and oppose what he described as the ruling party’s “misgovernance and injustice” in the state.
Meanwhile, political reactions intensified after the remarks, with critics accusing the Congress leader of insulting the public mandate instead of accepting organizational weaknesses and electoral defeat. BJP leaders also alleged that such comments were attempts to divert attention from the party’s internal shortcomings.
