Akhil Gogoi: The X-factor in Assam elections-The activist, seen as a hero who cares and single-handedly exposes corruption within the Congress7/4/11

Akhil Gogoi: The X-factor in Assam elections

Arunoday Mukharji Arunoday Mukharji , CNN-IBN

Updated Apr 07, 2011 at 09:30am IST



Barpeta: Hundreds of villagers gather in the small town of Tihu in lower Assam, not to get a glimpse of a film star, but of Akhil Gogoi, who for them, is bigger than any star. The activist, seen as a hero who cares and single-handedly exposes corruption within the Congress, is the x-factor these elections.

"Akhil Gogoi is an even bigger factor than the opposition and we are completely behind him, " said one of his supporters.

Gogoi is seen as apolitical, but as he travels from village to village his one agenda is to convince not to vote the Congress back in.
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Barpeta: Hundreds of villagers gather in the small town of Tihu in lower Assam, not to get a glimpse of a film star, but of Akhil Gogoi, who for them, is bigger than any star. The activist, seen as a hero who cares and single-handedly exposes corruption within the Congress, is the x-factor these elections.
"Akhil Gogoi is an even bigger factor than the opposition and we are completely behind him, " said one of his supporters.
Gogoi is seen as apolitical, but as he travels from village to village his one agenda is to convince not to vote the Congress back in.

"The Congress is working for the capitalists, it's a representative of the landlords. That's why Assamese people want middle class representatives in parties," said Gogoi.

Gogoi clearly has become a king-sized headache for the Congress. He has filed numerous RTI applications, opposed the construction of dams and focused on corruption.

Congress Election in-charge in Assam Digvijay Singh said, "Akhil Gogoi is well meaning but unfortunately, he is totally directionless. Is he pleading the case of the AGP? Has he forgotten the corruption of Prafulla Mahanta? Is he then propagating the ideology of the RSS and BJP and Advani of communal divide?"

Among the many problems the Congress is battling, Akhil Gogoi is proving to be a huge thorn in the flesh for the ruling party. The question is whether he will connect with the common man and prove to be the X-factor these elections.