The Dhemaji Assembly constituency in Assam is headed for a keenly contested election on April 9, when the state votes across all 126 seats in a single phase. Vote counting is scheduled for May 4.
BJP has fielded sitting MLA Ranoj Pegu, who will face Congress candidate Sailen Sonowal in what is shaping up as the principal contest.
Four other candidates are also in the fray — All India Trinamool Congress's Narendra Kumar Paw, Voters Party International's Lalit Pegu, Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) candidate Lilimai Doley, and Independent candidate Babul Sonowal.
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The BJP-led NDA — comprising the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) — is seeking a third consecutive term in government across Assam.
Ranged against them is a Congress-led opposition alliance that includes the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), Raijor Dal, CPI(M), CPI(ML), and other parties, hoping to capitalise on anti-incumbency sentiment to reclaim power.
Dhemaji is a Scheduled Tribe (ST) reserved seat with an economy rooted in agriculture.
The constituency regularly contends with river erosion, flooding from rivers including the Jiadhal, poor infrastructure, and limited employment opportunities. These issues are expected to weigh heavily on voters' minds as they head to the polls.
The BJP has held the Dhemaji seat for the past two terms and is looking to extend that run.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, Ranoj Pegu won with 87,681 votes. AJP's Chittaranjan Basumatary came second with 56,889 votes, while Congress's Sailen Sonowal — who returns as the opposition candidate this time — finished third with 44,832 votes.