Gogoi Says BJP Turned to AIUDF in Nagaon, Congress Confident of Win
Gaurav Gogoi says the Congress is confident of winning the Nagaon bypoll and accuses the BJP of turning to the AIUDF after it fielded Sibamoni Bora.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi said on Tuesday that his party is confident of winning the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll, and accused the BJP of turning to the AIUDF after the Congress named former MLA Sibamoni Bora as its candidate.
Describing Bora as a woman leader and former MLA with a long record in public life and politics, Gogoi said her candidature had pushed the ruling party to seek help from the AIUDF, which he characterised as an ally of the BJP.
He said the AIUDF had initially been considering another candidate whose name was being discussed publicly and who was already campaigning in Nagaon, before party chief Badruddin Ajmal himself entered the contest.
"The BJP realised that Congress had put up a strong candidate and panicked. They turned to their trusted political ally, the AIUDF," Gogoi alleged, in an apparent reference to a possible division of votes that could benefit the ruling party. He further alleged that Ajmal is helping Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Despite the AIUDF's entry into the fray, Gogoi said the Congress views the BJP as its principal opponent in Nagaon.
The BJP has nominated former IAS officer Devasish Sharma for the bypoll, scheduled for October 6, with counting set for October 9. Sharma was the Nagaon district commissioner before opting for voluntary retirement earlier this month, and joined the BJP on September 8.
The seat fell vacant after Pradyut Bordoloi, who won it in 2019 and 2024 on a Congress ticket, resigned ahead of the assembly elections held in April and joined the BJP. Bordoloi is now the BJP MLA from Dispur.
Gogoi also questioned the neutrality of the election process in Assam, pointing to the role of the former district officer who, he said, had been involved in preparations for the bypoll before entering electoral politics. "How can an officer who was involved in preparing for an election subsequently leave that position and enter electoral politics?" he asked.
Drawing a comparison with West Bengal, he said election-related officials are transferred ahead of polls there. "In West Bengal, returning officers, district collectors and BDOs are transferred before elections. Why is Assam different?" he asked.
He urged the Election Commission to take note of the concerns and ensure the electoral process remains neutral.