The Congress party has announced its candidates for the upcoming by-elections to the legislative assemblies in Assam and Madhya Pradesh. This announcement was made on Sunday, with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) confirming the nominations for a total of six assembly seats. These include four seats in Assam and two in Madhya Pradesh.
In Assam, the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge approved the names of Dhrubajyoti Purakayastha for the Dholai (SC) seat, Sanjib Warle for Sidli (ST), Brajenjit Sinha for Bongaigaon, and Tanzil Hussain for Samaguri. The party is looking to strengthen its position in these regions by fielding candidates with local influence and strong connections within their communities.
For Madhya Pradesh, Mukesh Malhotra has been selected to contest from the Vijaypur assembly seat, while Rajkumar Patel will run for the Budhni seat. These two constituencies hold significant political weight, especially Budhni, which has been a long-time stronghold of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The Budhni seat became vacant after Chouhan was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Vidisha in the recent 2024 general elections, leaving an important contest ahead for the Congress as they attempt to challenge the BJP's dominance in the area.
The Vijaypur assembly seat was left open after Ramniwas Rawat, a six-time MLA, resigned from the Congress and joined the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year.
Rawat now holds the position of Forest and Environment Minister in the cabinet of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. His switch from the Congress to the BJP has made Vijaypur a crucial battleground, with the Congress hoping to regain control with their new candidate, Mukesh Malhotra.
The Congress is aiming to regain ground in both states, and the outcome of these bypolls will be a significant indicator of public sentiment. Assam and Madhya Pradesh have both seen strong performances by the BJP in recent elections, and the Congress will be looking to turn the tide with strategic candidate selections.
The party is also expected to highlight local issues and development concerns in its campaign, seeking to connect with voters who may be dissatisfied with the ruling party's performance.
The bypolls are scheduled for November 13, with the results to be declared on November 23. Both parties are likely to intensify their campaigns in the coming weeks, focusing on key constituencies and rallying support to secure these pivotal seats.
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