North India Statesman
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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its first list for the Assam Assembly elections 2026, which has intensified the stir in the politics of the state. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will once again contest from his traditional and safe seat Jalukbari. The biggest thing about this list is that BJP has played a big bet on veteran leaders who have left Congress, while a strong message has been given by canceling the tickets of 11 sitting MLAs.
‘Invincible’ fort of Jalukbari: CM Sarma preparing for sixth victory
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been holding the Jalukbari seat continuously since 2001. He has won from here thrice on Congress ticket and twice on BJP ticket. The central leadership has once again expressed full confidence in Sarma, who was the architect of BJP’s historic comeback in Assam in 2021. There is talk in political circles that if BJP returns to power, Himanta Biswa Sarma will again take over as the Chief Minister.
Big break in Congress: Gaurav Gogoi gets double blow
Difficulties have increased for Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi just before the elections. Two strong pillars of the party – former state president Bhupen Borah and MP Pradyut Bordoloi have left the Congress and joined the BJP.
Bhupen Borah: He left the party raising questions on the leadership of Gaurav Gogoi. BJP gave him Bihpuria Has been made a candidate from the seat.
Pradyut Bordoloi: Bordoloi, a two-time MP and former minister, accused the Congress of insulting him. BJP gave him Dispur Like he has been given ticket from an important seat.
To give tickets to these two turncoats, BJP has cleared the cards of its sitting MLAs, Amiya Kumar Bhuiyan and Atul Bora.
BJP’s strategy: Tickets of 11 MLAs canceled, trust on ministers intact
It is clear from the first list of BJP that performance is the only criterion for the ticket. The party has not given a chance to 11 sitting MLAs this time, which also includes big names like former state president Siddharth Bhattacharya. However, confidence has been expressed in key faces and ministers of the government:
Piyush Hazarika, Jayanta Malla Barua and Ashok Singhal will contest from their old seats.
Ajanta Neog and Chandramohan Patwari have also been fielded again.
Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimri will contest from Tamulpur, while former Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami will face Gaurav Gogoi directly in Jorhat.
Gaurav Gogoi’s counterattack: “This unfortunate decision”
Gaurav Gogoi has called it ‘unfortunate’ on his close ones joining BJP. He said that the party had given full respect to Pradyut Bordoloi and had also offered ticket to his family, yet he compromised the ideology for personal interest. Now it has to be seen on which other faces in BJP’s second list (38 candidates) and whether Congress will be able to recover from this disintegration.
