Guwahati, March 19: The Bharatiya Janata Party has handed tickets to two senior leaders who recently quit the Indian National Congress, as it unveiled its candidate list for the Assam Legislative Assembly elections 2026 on March 19, underscoring a strategy of absorbing experienced figures ahead of the polls.
Former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Kumar Borah has been fielded from Bihpuria in Lakhimpur district, a constituency he represented for two terms. Borah, who spent over three decades in the Congress, had cited internal discord and a sense of marginalisation as reasons for his departure, alleging that his concerns about the party’s functioning in Assam were repeatedly overlooked. He also claimed that senior leaders, including himself, had been sidelined amid the growing influence of Rakibul Hussain within the state unit. Borah joined the BJP in February in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Following closely, Pradyut Bordoloi, the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Nagaon, resigned from the Congress on March 17 and joined the BJP a day later. He has now been nominated from Dispur, one of Assam’s most prominent urban constituencies. Bordoloi, associated with the Congress for more than five decades, said his decision was driven by sustained neglect and internal humiliation, adding that he chose to leave “for self-respect” and in the “larger interest of Assam.” He also referred to the growing involvement of Imran Masood in Assam Congress affairs as a contributing factor. His exit came at the cost of relinquishing the remaining tenure of his parliamentary seat.
The twin defections have added to the Congress’s organisational challenges in Assam, with Bordoloi’s departure reducing its tally of Lok Sabha MPs from the state. Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi downplayed the impact, stating that disagreements over individual seats should not lead to such decisions, while Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia termed the developments “very unfortunate.”
Chief Minister Sarma has previously indicated that the BJP’s efforts to induct Congress leaders have been ongoing since 2016 and are nearing completion, while also suggesting that more defections could follow.
Beyond these high-profile entrants, the BJP’s candidate list spans constituencies across Lower, Central and Upper Assam, including Rangia, Palasbari, Guwahati Central, Nagaon, Mangaldai, Dhemaji and Tinsukia. Sarma will defend his Jalukbari seat, while senior leaders such as Chandramohan Patowary, Ranjeet Kumar Dass and Pijush Hazarika have also been retained in their respective constituencies. Several reserved tribal seats, including Tamulpur, Dudhnai and Dhemaji, are expected to witness close contests.
Polling for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4. As the BJP aims for a third consecutive term under Sarma, the Congress faces the challenge of regrouping after losing two of its prominent leaders within a short span.
