Many Ex Congress leaders have been accommodated in BJP's list of candidates in Assam.
A decade ago in 2016 the Lotus party created history when it ousted the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress ministry and gave the north eastern state the first BJP chief minister. But that honour was given to Sarbananda Sonowal. After 2021polls, the BJP changed its chief minister and the responsibility came to Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Development is a major issue in the state and Dibrugarh in Upper Assam has been designated as the second capital of the state. This was of course linked to elections.
#PradyutBordoloi to contest on #BJP ticket from Dispur. #Silchar BJP legislator dropped ... #RajdeepRoy gets ticket
Another 'Rajdeep' Goala - a Bhojpuri leader who technically does not belong to Udarbond segment has been accommodated.
Dr Rajdeep Roy is a former MP from Silchar Lok Sabha seat. He is an orthopaedic surgeon by profession.
At least 10-12 ticket aspirants from the Udarbond seat (adjacent to Silchar) had made a big cause of requesting the high command not to entertain Goala's request; but the party leadership has preferred to go otherwise.
Finance Minister Ajanta Neog has been fielded again from Golaghat, while other key faces include Ranoj Pegu (Dhemaji), Pijush Hazarika (Jagiroad) and Ashok Singhal (Dhekiajuli).
Jalukbari is widely regarded as a stronghold of Himanta, who has won every Assembly election from the seat since 2001, including 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021.
From Hojai, Shiladitya Dev has been fielded. Sibu Mishra will be BJP nominee for Lumding and from Dhekiajuli, it is - Ashok Singhal.
In a notable move, the party has fielded former Congress leader and sitting Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi from the Dispur Assembly seat, underscoring its effort to leverage recent political crossovers.
Another recent entrant from Congress, Bhupen Kumar Borah, has been nominated from Bihpura.
The BJP has also sharpened its focus on urban constituencies, announcing candidates for all major seats in Kamrup (Metro), including Jalukbari, Dispur, Guwahati Central and New Guwahati, indicating a strategy to consolidate its urban voter base.
Across Upper Assam, the party has opted for seasoned candidates in key constituencies such as Duliajan, Tinsukia, Digboi and Dibrugarh.
In Barak Valley, seats like Silchar, Karimganj North and Hailakandi feature candidates with established local presence, reflecting a continuity-driven approach.
Women candidates have found limited but notable representation in the first list.
Six women have been fielded, slightly lower than the seven in the 2021 elections.
Among them are Madhavi Das (Birsing-Jarua),
Jyostna Kalita (Chaygaon),
Nilima Devi (Mangaldai),
Ajanta Neog (Golaghat),
Niso Terangpi (Diphu) and
Rupali Langthasa (Haflong).
Among others -- BJP candidates include --
Digboi Suren Phukan
Makum Sanjay Kishan (sitting MLA from Tinsukia, shifted to tea garden area)
Tinsukia -- Pulok Gohain (an old BJP hand and is now municipality chairman)
Chabua-Lahowal Binod Hazarika
Dibrugarh Prasanta Phukan
The list also spans several tribal and reserved constituencies, including Boko-Chaygaon (ST), Tamulpur (ST), Dhemaji (ST) and Majuli (ST), along with seats in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts.
The candidates were finalised at a meeting of the BJP’s Central Election Committee held on Wednesday evening. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders. BJP’s Assam unit president Dilip Saikia was also present.
Politically Assam is often divided into three categories. The Barak valley – Bengali dominated and Lower Assam and Upper Assam.
People in Upper Assam have always felt neglected and thus remained anguished.
And there are reasons for the same. Assam's Margherita is a famous spot for coal. Digboi is world famous for oil and Doom Dooma is well known for tea gardens and tea business. Top of that Dibrugarh and Tinsukia are two commercial hubs.
However the twist in the tale is that despite big talks of the BJP these three pockets in Upper Assam have issues vis-a-vis development.
There is crisis of drinking water, growing joblessness and absence of new industrial units.
“The state of Assam and especially people in Upper Assam are desperately in need of alternative job avenues for young people and good health centres," says student Biren Goswami in Guwahati.
Other BJP candidates also include:
Diphu (ST) Niso Terangpi
Rongkhang (ST) Tuliram Ronghang
Amri (ST) Habe Teron
Haflong (ST) Rupali Langthasa
Lakhipur - Kaushik Rai
Katigorah Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha
Borkhola Kishore Nath
Dholai (SC) Amiya Kanti Das
Hailakandi Milon Das
Karimganj North Subrata Bhattacharjee
Patharkandi Krishnendu Paul
Ram Krishna Nagar (SC) Bijoy Malakar
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