Assam: BJP-led alliance blanks opposition in bye-poll

¦ BJP-3 ¦ AGP-1 ¦ UPPL-1 ¦ Opposition-0

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: With the BJP-led alliance in Assam sweeping the bye-poll in all five Legislative Assembly Constituencies, the Congress drew a blank in the state. In a major upset, the BJP wrested the Samaguri LAC that had been with the Congress for the past 24 years, while the AGP retained the Bongaigaon LAC that had been with the regional party since its inception in 1985.

According to the results of the bye-poll declared today, BJP candidate for Samaguri LAC Diplu Ranjan Sarma wrested the seat by defeating Congress' Tanzil Hussain by a slim margin of 24,501 votes. BJP candidate for Behali LAC, Diganta Ghatowal, defeated Congress candidate Jayanta Bora by a margin of around 9,051 votes. BJP candidate for Dholai LAC Nihar Ranjan Das defeated Congress candidate Dhrubajyoti Purkayanstha by a margin of 9,098 votes.

BJP ally UPPL candidate Nirmal Kumar Brahma defeated BPF candidate Suddha Basumatary by a huge margin of around 37,016 votes in the Sidli LAC. Another BJP ally, the AGP candidate Diptimayee Choudhury, defeated Congress candidate Brajen Jeet Singha also by a huge margin of around 35,164 votes in the Bongaigaon LAC.

The prime focus of this bye-poll in the state was on the Samaguri LAC that had been held by Congress leader Rakibul Hussain since 2001. In 2024 also, Rakibul Hussain made it to the state assembly from this constituency. He, however, had to vacate the seat after coming up the winner in the Lok Sabha election this year from the Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency. In the bye-poll, Rakibul's son Tanzil Hussain fought from Samaguri on a Congress ticket. With top BJP leaders throwing their full weight behind this constituency, the winning streak of the Hussain family in this constituency came to an abrupt halt today.

Likewise, Phani Bhushan Choudhury of the AGP had been holding the Bongaigaon LAC since 1985. However, the seat fell vacant as Choudhury came out the winner in the last Lok Sabha election from the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat. The AGP fielded MP Choudhury's wife, Diptimoi Choudhury, leading to a section of aggrieved AGP leaders, including Bongaigaon district president, to quit the party.

The Congress-led United Opposition Alliance of the state literary was smashed into smithereens on the selection of the Opposition candidate for the Behali LAC. While other opposition parties wanted to field a CPI(ML) candidate from the LAC, the Congress fielded Jayanta Bora on its own. Despite MP Gaurav Gogoi throwing his full weight behind the party candidate from Behali, a few BJP ministers and MLAs camped there round the clock and foiled the Congress juggernaut.

Also Read: Assam: Bye-poll turnout 75.67%; counting on November 23

Also Watch: