Assam polls: Congress' first list names 42; Gogoi from Jorhat, Saikia from Nazira
The first list also sets the stage for a potentially keen contest in Bihpuria, where Congress has named Narayan Bhuyan as its candidate
Congress leaders, including Gaurav Gogoi (centre), during a rally in Dibrugarh, on Sunday. (AT Photo)
Guwahati, March 3: Assam Congress, on Tuesday, released its first list of 42 candidates for the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, placing Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi in Jorhat and Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia in Nazira.
The list, cleared by the party’s Central Election Committee, was issued by AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal.
Gogoi’s candidature from Jorhat signals the party’s intent to project him at the forefront of its campaign. As APCC chief, he is expected to spearhead the Congress’s statewide outreach in what is shaping up to be a high-stakes contest.
Saikia, a senior legislator and the Congress’s principal voice in the Assembly, will seek re-election from Nazira. Among other prominent names in the first list, senior leader Ripun Bora has been fielded from Barchalla. A former APCC president and ex-Rajya Sabha member, Bora’s entry adds weight to the party’s lineup in the constituency.
In the capital seat of Dispur (33), Congress has nominated Mira Borthakur Goswami, who has previously contested from the Guwahati/Dispur area.
The first list also sets the stage for a potentially keen contest in Bihpuria, where Congress has named Narayan Bhuyan as its candidate.
The seat could see a high-profile fight if the BJP fields former APCC chief Bhupen Bora, who recently switched to the saffron party. Bhuyan’s candidature positions him as Congress’s challenger in what may become one of the closely watched contests in Upper Assam.
The announcement comes amid reported strain in seat-sharing negotiations between Congress and its potential ally Raijor Dal. The alliance talks are understood to be hinging on a single constituency, with both sides holding their ground while reiterating their commitment to an understanding.
Further lists are expected in the coming days as the party finalises nominees for the remaining constituencies in the 126-member Assam Assembly.