Lurinjyoti Gogoi, president of the fledgling party Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP) is aiming to get a toe-hold in the crowded political space of Assam, with the ‘jaatiyotabadi’ (Assamese nationalist) pitch. The 39-year-old firebrand leader, who was at the forefront of the anti-CAA movement in the state, resigned as the general secretary of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) soon after the agitation and entered electoral politics.

Though Gogoi’s party is just six months old, his political views started taking shape at a very young age. Born to a lower middle class family at Laipuli in Assam’s Tinsukia district, Gogoi joined AASU — the group that led the anti-‘foreigners’ Assam Agitation of the early 1980s –while he was a student at Dibrugarh University.

Also Read | Activists Akhil Gogoi, Pranab Doley to contest Assam polls with few thousand rupees in pockets

By 2015, Gogoi rose to become the general secretary of AASU. It was also around this time that two notifications to amend the Foreigners Act — that enabled members of specific minorities (except Muslims) to continue living in India — were passed. AASU opposed this and as the agitation grew, Gogoi also grew as a leader. He addressed hundreds of rallies on the issue and soon became a much sought after star speaker. His oratorical skills are talked about even now.

As elections approach, Gogoi — who is contesting from Upper Assam’s Duliajan constituency and Naharkatia seat– addresses close to 15 ralies in a day. Apart from these two seats, AJP will contest from Sarupathar, Dhemaji, Khumtai, Dhekiajuli, Rangapara, Dhing, Batadrava, Dergaon, Nazira, Thaora, Bihpuria, Dibrugarh, Mariani, Tinsukia, Dhakuakhana, Sadiya and Margherita.

Also Read | Phase 1 of 8-part mega Assembly election exercise in 5 states all set for take off

The AJP had tied up with Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dol, another party born out of the CAA agitation. Gogoi, fighting on the plank of regionalism, does not believe in aligning with bigger parties as he feels that a true Assamese party cannot ally with any big party.

As for the vision of the AJP, the party aims to ‘cooperate and assimilate people of Assam irrespective of their native tongue, religion, caste, tribe.’ Accusing the Central Government of ushering “in a neo-colonial and totalitarian regime ignoring all aspects of federalism”, the party website says that the Assam Jatiya Parishad has been formed to challenge the Central government.

Also Read | Assam assembly polls phase 1: Key constituencies, candidates to watch out for

How the new party fares in the upcoming elections will be known on May 2, when the votes will be counted. Assam is voting in three phases — on March 27, April 1 and April 6 — to elect a new Assembly. Gogoi’s two seats, Duliajan and Naharkatia, will vote on March 27.