‘Ranganadi voters want change’: Ex-AGP leader Khaund after Congress entry

North Lakhimpur, Mar 10: The political landscape in the newly constituted Ranganadi Assembly constituency has witnessed a significant shift following the decision of regional leader Jayanta Khaund to join the Indian National Congress.

Khaund’s entry into the Congress comes just days after he resigned from the primary membership of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) on March 6.

The development is seen as politically significant, particularly in the No. 74 Ranganadi Legislative Assembly constituency, which was recently carved out of the former Nowboicha Assembly constituency following the delimitation exercise.

Khaund, who previously served as the finance secretary of the AGP, formally joined the Congress in New Delhi on Monday evening in the presence of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi, among other party leaders.

Speaking to The Assam Tribune, Khaund said his familiarity with the region’s political landscape and the concerns of voters would help him address key issues in the newly formed constituency.

“I have contested elections from the erstwhile Nowboicha constituency earlier. So, I am well aware of both the challenges and the expectations of voters in the areas that now fall under the Ranganadi constituency,” Khaund said.

He also highlighted the support he has received from women voters in the region.

“Many women voters, particularly from minority communities, have told me that while their living conditions may have improved in certain respects, they still seek greater dignity and recognition in society. I believe they will support efforts aimed at bringing meaningful change,” he added.

Khaund had contested the 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections from the Nowboicha constituency as an AGP candidate and earlier contested the 2011 elections as an independent candidate.

However, amid evolving electoral equations within the BJP-led alliance in Assam, the AGP did not field him as a candidate this time due to seat-sharing arrangements with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

During the 2021 Assembly elections, the Nowboicha seat had been allocated to the AGP as part of the BJP-led alliance arrangement.

The decision had earlier sparked internal dissent when BJP ticket aspirant Rao Gajendra Singh contested the election as an independent candidate after being denied a party ticket.

Meanwhile, Khaund’s exit has reportedly triggered a wave of resignations from the AGP in the Ranganadi constituency.

Several party workers and supporters are said to have left the regional party and joined the Congress following his move.

The development is seen as a setback for the AGP in the constituency, where Khaund had long been regarded as one of the party’s key organisational figures.

With Khaund joining its ranks, the Congress is expected to strengthen its organisational base in Ranganadi. The BJP has not yet announced its candidate for the Ranganadi seat.