The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its first list of 88 candidates for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections scheduled for April 9, marking key political shifts and strategic nominations.
A major highlight is Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma being fielded once again from Jalukbari, a constituency he has consistently won since 2001. Having secured victories three times as a Congress candidate before joining the BJP in 2015, Sarma is now aiming for his sixth straight win. His leadership in the 2021 Assembly elections played a crucial role in the BJP’s victory, and he is expected to continue as Chief Minister if the party retains power.
The candidate list also reflects the BJP’s growing strength through recent high-profile defections from the Indian National Congress. Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah, who recently switched sides after criticizing current leadership, has been nominated from Bihpuria. Similarly, two-time Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi, who cited dissatisfaction with Congress leadership, will contest from Dispur.
The Congress, now led in Assam by Gaurav Gogoi, is grappling with internal challenges and the exit of prominent leaders. Gogoi termed the departures “unfortunate,” noting that the party had offered opportunities to Bordoloi and his family in recent elections.
In a notable reshuffle, the BJP has dropped 11 sitting MLAs in its first list, including incumbents from Bihpuria and Dispur, making way for new entrants. However, several key ministers such as Pijush Hazarika, Jayanta Malla Baruah, Ashok Singhal, Ajanta Neog, Chandramohan Patwari, and Rupesh Gowala have retained their constituencies.
Meanwhile, former state BJP president Siddartha Bhattacharya has not been renominated from Gauhati East. Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary will contest from Tamulpur, while former Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami is set to face Gaurav Gogoi in Jorhat.
The BJP is expected to release a second list of candidates soon, which may clarify whether any of the dropped MLAs will be accommodated elsewhere as the party fine-tunes its electoral strategy.
