Senior leaders cutting across party lines, including ministers, state chiefs, former MPs and recent defectors, filed their nomination papers on Monday, the last day for submissions for the Assam Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.
The BJP-led NDA, comprising the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), is seeking a third consecutive term, while the Congress is spearheading a six-party opposition alliance. Other parties such as the Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) have also fielded candidates.
Among prominent candidates, AGP president Atul Bora filed his nomination from Bokakhat in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Fellow AGP leader Keshab Mahanta filed from Kaliabor.
Several BJP ministers also entered the fray, including Chandra Mohan Patowary (Tihu), Ranoj Pegu (Dhemaji), Bimal Borah (Tingkhong) and Jayanta Malla Baruah (Nalbari).
Other BJP candidates filing nominations included former MP Pallab Lochan Das (Biswanath), and sitting MLAs Rupjyoti Kurmi (Mariani) and Mrinal Saikia
(Khumtai).
Also read: Assam Assembly polls: BJP cabinet minister Garlosa joins Congress
In Jorhat, BJP’s Hitendra Nath Goswami filed his nomination, setting up a direct contest with Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi, who also submitted his papers after leading a large procession, marking his debut in Assembly polls.
Adding to the political churn, former Congress leader Bhupen Kumar Borah, who recently joined the BJP, filed his nomination from Bihpuria. Meanwhile, Nandita Garlosa, who switched to the Congress after being denied a BJP ticket, filed her papers from Haflong within hours of joining the party.
In the Guwahati region, NDA candidates including Vijay Gupta (Central Guwahati), Diplu Ranjan Sharma (New Guwahati), Pradyut Bordoloi (Dispur) and AGP’s Tapan Das (Dimoria) submitted their nominations. Congress candidates Mira Borthakur (Dispur), Santanu Borah (New Guwahati) and Bidisha Neog (Jalukbari) also filed their papers.
AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal filed his nomination from Binnakandi, seeking a return to the Assembly.
This election will be the first in Assam after the 2023 delimitation exercise. In the outgoing Assembly, the BJP has 64 MLAs, while its allies AGP, UPPL and BPF hold nine, seven and three seats respectively. The Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF 15, and CPI(M) one.
Votes will be counted on May 4.
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