Ajmal Enters Nagaon Bypoll Fray, Says AIUDF Campaign to Focus on 'Humanity'

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal has thrown his hat into the ring for the October 6 bypoll to the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, expressing confidence that he will return to Parliament. His candidature was announced a day before the deadline for filing nominations.

The bypoll was necessitated after sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the Lok Sabha seat and from the party to contest the Assembly elections from Dispur on a BJP ticket.

Nagaon carries considerable political weight, with a substantial mix of communities and a history of competition among the BJP, the Congress and minority-focused political forces. The seat was won by the Congress in both the 2019 and 2024 general elections.

Ajmal, 76, is an MLA from the Binnakandi constituency in Assam. He lost the recent Lok Sabha polls from his traditional Dhubri seat to the Congress's Rakibul Hussain by a record margin of over 10 lakh votes. Political observers note that his Bengali-speaking Muslim votebank has eroded and shifted towards the Congress, and analysts say he will be looking to reclaim his core support base in the Muslim-majority Nagaon seat.

Speaking in Hojai on Monday, Ajmal said the AIUDF's campaign would centre on what he described as "humanity", while taking aim at both the BJP and the Congress. "It is very good. There is a new hope. InshaAllah, the atmosphere will be in my favour and very soon people will see me reaching Parliament," he said of his chances, adding that the outcome would rest on divine blessings and public support.

He said he would work for all communities. "I will work for everyone, for minorities as well as the majority. There are lakhs of issues facing Muslims, but the majority community also has many issues. We should not talk only about minorities while the problems of the majority remain unaddressed," he said. Education, healthcare and flood and erosion-related issues would be among his priorities, with education at the top of the list.

Ajmal also attacked the Congress, arguing that "voting for Congress is voting for BJP" and that the Congress in Assam today resembles the BJP.

Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi, meanwhile, said his party was confident of winning the bypoll. He alleged that the BJP had entered into a secret pact with the AIUDF out of fear that the Congress would win the vacant seat. Gogoi claimed the AIUDF had reconsidered its candidate strategy after the Congress announced former MLA Sibamoni Bora, describing her as a strong nominee who had forced the BJP to seek the AIUDF's help, calling the two "allies".

The BJP has fielded former IAS officer and former Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Devasish Sharma. Counting of votes will take place on October 9.