GUWAHATI: The Congress on Tuesday released its first list of 42 candidates for the Assam assembly elections, expected in April.
The party’s Central Election Committee cleared the list which has the names of experienced leaders as well as new faces. The state has 126 seats in all.
The Congress is fielding its Assam president and deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi from the Jorhat seat in upper Assam. He had comfortably won the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from the Jorhat parliamentary seat.
Gogoi contesting the polls from Jorhat holds significance considering the Congress’ efforts to regain the lost ground in upper Assam. An Ahom, he is the party’s most formidable face in the region that has a large number of voters from the Ahom community.
He expressed gratitude to the party leadership for its continued guidance and belief in his abilities.
“I am grateful to the people of Jorhat Lok Sabha without whom I would not have reached this position. I am thankful to my late father Tarun Gogoi who taught me what it means to be an Assamese and a Congressman. I am also thankful to my family, my mother, sister, wife and two little kids who have endured a lot but always with grace, joy and dignity. To my fellow Congress brothers, sisters, colleagues and elders, the time is now to take Assam in a new and bold direction. Let us dream once again of a #NatunBorAxom. #SamayParivartanor,” Gogoi posted on X.
The list includes the names of five women and five MLAs. The women candidates are former minister Pranati Phukan, MLA Nandita Das, Mira Borthakur, Pallabi Saikia Gogoi and Suruchi Roy. Apart from Das, the four other MLAs are Debabrata Saikia, Nurul Huda, Abdus Sobahan Ali Sarkar and Diganta Barman.
Saikia, the leader of Opposition, will contest from his pet Nazira seat, Huda from Rupahihat, Ali from Gauripur, Das from Hajo-Sualkuchi (SC reserved) and Barman from Barkhetri.
The list also has the names of former minister Ajit Singh (Udharband or Udarband), Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain’s son Tanzil Hussain (Samaguri) and former MLA Kartik Sen Sinha (Patharkandi).
Former state Congress president and former minister Ripun Bora will contest from Barchalla. He had joined the Trinamool Congress a few years ago before returning to the grand old party.