Shillong: Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi says the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election is a direct showdown between his party and the BJP. The Jorhat MP argues the vote will serve as a definitive test of the ruling party's alleged intimidation tactics. "The main political contest will be between the BJP and the Congress," Gogoi told IANS. He claims voters will ultimately reject the current atmosphere of fear.
The seat is vacant following the resignation of former two-term Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi. Bordoloi defected to the BJP earlier this year. He subsequently secured a win in the Dispur Assembly seat. Now, the BJP hopes to flip his former parliamentary constituency.
The BJP tapped former Nagaon District Commissioner Devasish Sharma for the race. Sharma quit his post on September 3. He joined the BJP on September 8 and secured the nomination on September 11. This rapid transition drew heavy fire from the opposition. Congress MP Rakibul Hussain wants a formal probe into Sharma's official conduct while he served as the District Election Officer.
The BJP maintains that a former civil servant joining the party after voluntary retirement is standard practice. The stakes are high for both camps. Congress held the seat in both 2019 and 2024. In the 2024 cycle, Bordoloi defeated BJP candidate Suresh Bora while the AIUDF also pulled a large block of votes.
Voters head to the polls on October 6. Officials plan to count the ballots on October 9. Gogoi views this contest as a referendum on the government's governance style and the public's right to demand dignity.
Comments