Mamata asks Akhil Gogoi to merge his outfit and head TMC in Assam

Anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) activist and Raijor Dal head Akhil Gogoi on Sunday said Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has invited him to merge his outfit with the ruling party of Bengal and help an alliance of regional parties to overthrow the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power at the Centre in 2024.

Gogoi, who was set free a month ago after National Investigation Agency (NIA) court acquitted him of all charges related violence during the anti-CAA protests, said the alliance of regional parties under the leadership of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is in the works to challenge the saffron camp in 2024.

"We aim to form a confederation of regional forces and project Mamata Banerjee as its leader to remove the Narendra Modi government from power in 2024," he said.

The Independent MLA from Assam's Sibasagar said Banerjee had assured him of making him the TMC’s Assam unit president if he merged his outfit, Raijor Dal, with the former.

“A decision in this regard is likely to be taken in our party's executive body meeting during the day,” he further said.

Gogoi said three rounds of talks between the TMC and Raijor Dal over the issue have already taken place.

(With agency inputs)