BJP Releases Assam Election Candidate List: 19 Sitting MLAs Dropped, Pradyut Bordoloi Gets Dispur Ticket

Guwahati: The BJP on Thursday released its first list of candidates for 88 constituencies ahead of the Assam Assembly elections scheduled for April 9, dropping 19 sitting MLAs — including a cabinet minister and the Deputy Speaker — while making room for fresh faces, youth, women, and recent defectors from the Congress.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the media at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan in Guwahati to explain the party's candidate selection strategy.

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Among the notable omissions from the BJP's candidate list are Minister Nandita Garlosa (Haflong), senior leader Atul Bora (Dispur), Siddhartha Bhattacharya (East Guwahati), and Deputy Speaker Numal Momin (Bokajan).

The full list of sitting MLAs who did not receive tickets includes:

• Nandita Garlosa — Haflong

• Atul Bora — Dispur

• Siddhartha Bhattacharya — East Guwahati

• Ramkrishna Ghose — Hojai

• Numal Momin — Bokajan (Deputy Speaker)

• Hemango Thakuria — Palasbari

• Promod Borthakur — Biswanath

• Ajay Kumar Rai — Bijni

• Bidya Sing Ingle — Diphu

• Phani Talukdar — Bhawanipur

• Dorsing Ronghang — Howraghat

• Suman Haripriya — Hajo (now reserved for SC)

• Dwipayan Chakraborty — Silchar

• Nehar Ranjan Das — Dhalai

• Mihir Kanti Som — Udarbond

• Rup Sing Teron — Baithalangshu

• Ganesh Limbo — Borsola

• Diganta Ghatowal — Behali (now reserved for SC)

Sarma attributed several of the exclusions to the delimitation exercise, which has significantly altered constituency boundaries and reservation status.

"We've given preferences to the candidates who are active on the ground," he said.

One of the most talked-about names on the list is Pradyut Bordoloi, the former Congress MP who recently joined the BJP, now fielded from the prestigious Dispur Legislative Assembly Constituency.

Sarma defended the decision, pointing to the sacrifice Bordoloi made in switching parties.

"Bordoloi joined the BJP after making a big sacrifice — forfeiting his remaining three-year period in the Lok Sabha. Thus, it augurs well for us to provide him a poll ticket. I hope the BJP cadres in Dispur will cooperate with him," the Chief Minister said.

Fellow Congress defector Bhupen Borah has also been named in the list.

However, among the three Congress MLAs who recently joined the BJP — Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha, Sashikanta Das, and Basanta Das — only Purkayastha and Das have received tickets. Basanta Das has been left out.

With nearly two dozen sitting legislators dropped, the question of party rebellion was front and centre. Sarma sought to play down the possibility.

"I think the party will not face an internal revolt because some leaders are not getting poll tickets. Of course, some of the party leaders have their grievances. We're talking to them to sort out things," he said.

He added that the BJP's candidate selection process takes into account multiple factors from the grassroots level upward, in a disciplined manner.

Chief Minister Sarma will file his own nomination papers from the Jalukbari Assembly Constituency on Friday. He said all BJP candidates are expected to submit their nomination papers by March 23.

Sarma expressed confidence in the alliance's prospects, saying he hopes the BJP-AGP-BPF combine will deliver a historic win.

He confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, former party president JP Nadda, and MP Manoj Tiwari, among others, will campaign in Assam.

"I'll try to hold four meetings and address a rally every day," Sarma said.