Guwahati: All India United Democratic Front chief Badruddin Ajmal hit the campaign trail in Nagaon on September 21. He promised a Supreme Court battle over two women from Juria allegedly pushed across the border into Bangladesh. Ajmal addressed a crowd at Kaliadinga Bazar, singling out BJP candidate Debasish Sharma for his role as Nagaon Deputy Commissioner when the expulsions occurred. He claimed officials are using eviction drives to target Muslims.
The legal fight follows a Gauhati High Court ruling regarding Mumtaz Begum. Authorities declared the Juria resident a foreign national and sent her to Bangladesh on June 14. She crossed through Cachar’s Kalaincherra area after being handed to the Border Security Force the previous day. The High Court ordered the Assam government to pay Rs 2 lakh in interim compensation to her husband, Mujammel Hoque.
The court found the state failed to notify any adult family members about the detention or provide a chance to contest the tribunal opinion. The judge impleaded the Ministry of External Affairs to locate Begum and bring her home. The bench stressed the need for strict procedural safeguards in future cases. Ajmal vowed to keep the pressure on. "I will approach the Supreme Court after the election, seeking action against those responsible," he stated.
Updated at 23rd September 2026 at 1:53am
Beyond the legal threats in Juria, Ajmal shifted his focus to the Morigaon assembly segment on September 22. He taunted BJP rival Debasish Sharma, challenging him to a debate in English and claiming his opponent lacks the skills to address Parliament. Ajmal declared he would win the seat, telling reporters, "I will win the election, Inshallah."
Ajmal dismissed the political standing of Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora, asserting that she has slipped to the fifth or sixth spot in the race. He also addressed shifting loyalties within the minority community, claiming that some voters joined the BJP due to intimidation or cash payouts. He predicted that 80 per cent of those recent converts would return to his side before the polls close.
Updated at 23rd September 2026 at 7:00pm
Tensions in the Nagaon by-election, set for October 6, boiled over on September 21 when a Congress convoy came under attack at Barma Bazar in the Samaguri segment. Congress leaders, including Gaurav Gogoi and Bhupesh Baghel, faced stone-pelting and black flags. The party claims the assault left AICC secretary Manoj Chauhan and Mahila Congress chief Mira Borthakur injured and damaged several vehicles. Congress now demands the Election Commission pull the Nagaon District Commissioner from poll duties, alleging local officials ignored advance warnings about the threat.
The district administration painted a different picture, citing a sudden scuffle between two groups and promising to hunt down those involved. While Congress pointed fingers at local BJP leader Mujibur Rahman, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed the incident as infighting within the Congress ranks. Sarma pushed a separate narrative, insisting the BJP has banked support from Nagaon’s minority communities for years. Citing over 40,000 votes across four assembly segments in the last Lok Sabha round, Sarma claimed his government’s record on peace and development is winning over voters who once shunned the party.
Updated at 24th September 2026 at 9:47am
Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia sharpened his rhetoric on September 23 during a party convention in Rupohihat. He claimed that every jab Congress MP Rakibul Hussain takes at BJP candidate Debashish Sharma actually drives 10,000 minority votes into the BJP camp. The event drew roughly 500 party workers to iron out local strategy, marking a push to solidify support in the run-up to the October 6 poll.
Badruddin Ajmal hit back on September 23, doubling down on his claim that his party leads the field with the BJP and Congress trailing in second and third, respectively. Dismissing his opponents' outreach, Ajmal mocked Sharma’s attempts to woo Muslim voters. If he is wearing the cap, praying among the Muslim voters and speaking to them, that will not inculcate belief among the voters. He has to read the Kalma, Ajmal said. The AIUDF chief held five meetings across the constituency, signaling a final sprint for the seat left vacant after Pradyut Bordoloi shifted to the state legislature.
Updated at 24th September 2026 at 1:49pm
Ajmal cranked up his personal attacks on September 23, firing back at the Chief Minister regarding remarks about the Miya community. Referring to Sarma's threat to break the community's backbone, Ajmal taunted the CM's stature. I am 100 kg, Himanta is 80 kg. If I climb on him, his backbone would break anyway, he said. He also accused the CM of branding members of the community as Bangladeshis and labeling him a Pakistani.
The AIUDF leader turned his vitriol toward BJP candidate Debashish Sharma again, threatening him with physical confrontation. If Debashish Sharma becomes an MP, he will play songs in Parliament. I will slap him once and throw him out, Ajmal declared. The candidate field for the October 6 election is now locked at 15, following the withdrawal of three nominations. Counting for the seat, vacated by former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi, is set for October 9.
Updated at 24th September 2026 at 5:50pm
Campaign tensions spilled into Dhing on September 24 as a Congress bike rally faced a hostile reception. Local residents swarmed the event at Dhaniabhati Poali Bazar, waving black flags and burning an effigy of party candidate Sibamoni Bora. Protesters demanded the candidate go back, citing local dissatisfaction with her performance during her previous term as an MLA.
Senior Congress leader Rakibul Hussain went on the offensive during a press conference at the Nagaon District Congress office. He blasted BJP candidate Debashish Sharma for his lightning-fast transition from Nagaon District Commissioner to political hopeful. Hussain pointed out that Sharma opted for voluntary retirement on September 3 and secured a BJP ticket by September 8, labeling the move a mockery of the electoral process that demands strict scrutiny from the Election Commission.
Comments