After 25-yr hiatus, Congress fields candidate for Sidli Assembly by-poll

Chirang, Oct 23: After a 25-year hiatus, the Congress party has officially entered the race for the Sidli legislative assembly constituency by-elections, with candidate Sanjib Warle filing his nomination papers on Wednesday.

He was accompanied by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) working president Zakir Hussain Sikdar and vice president Gunakanta Gogoi as he submitted his papers at the district election office in Kajalgaon.

Following the nomination submission, Warle expressed confidence in securing a decisive victory in the by-election.

“When the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) was an ally of Congress, they successfully governed the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area for 17 years without external interference. However, the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), currently allied with the BJP, has struggled to function effectively. If they had partnered with Congress, the BTC area would have witnessed significant development,” he stated.

Earlier in the day, Warle participated in an election rally held in Baikhungaon village, where he addressed the concerns of Sidli residents. He asserted that the people of Sidli have suffered under the BJP rule and declared that their “exploitation would end with the Congress victory”.

In a show of support, scores of supporters marched from the rally venue to the district election office, celebrating with traditional dance songs representing various castes and tribes as they accompanied Warle to file his nomination papers in front of Chirang District Election Officer Firdous Alam.