By-polls in five Assam constituencies on Nov 13; counting on 23rd

Guwahati, Oct 15: By-elections to five assembly constituencies in Assam will be held on November 13, the Election Commission of India announced on Tuesday.

Addressing the press in New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, also stated that the counting of votes will take place on November 23. The by-elections will be held in the Behali, Dholai, Sidli, Bongaigaon, and Samaguri constituencies.

These seats became vacant earlier this year after their MLAs shifted focus to parliamentary positions during the Lok Sabha elections.

Notable MLAs who transitioned to the Lok Sabha include BJP’s Parimal Suklabaidya, who represented the Dholai Assembly segment and won the Cachar Lok Sabha seat, and Ranjit Dutta from Behali, who secured Tezpur’s parliamentary seat.

Veteran AGP leader Phani Bhushan Choudhury, who has held the Bongaigaon constituency since 1985, successfully contested the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat, while UPPL’s Joyanta Basumatary won Kokrajhar after previously representing Sidli.

Congress’s Rakibul Hussain, a five-time MLA from Samaguri, claimed a decisive victory in Dhubri.

In November-13 by-polls, the BJP will contest in three constituencies—Behali, Dholai, and Samaguri. Meanwhile, its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) will field candidates in Bongaigaon and Sidli, respectively.

Earlier, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had expressed confidence during his visit to Chirang on September 18, ahead of the Sidli by-polls.

"We are well prepared for the by-elections," he said, adding that AGP and UPPL will field candidates in Bongaigaon and Sidli, while BJP will contest in Behali, Dholai, and Samaguri.

Assam Congress chief Bhupen Bora, on October 6, announced that the party's candidate selection would be based on input from grassroots workers to ensure the chosen nominee reflects the people's needs.