Gaurav Gogoi to contest Jorhat LAC, setting up key BJP–Congress face-off
The announcement has heightened political activity in Upper Assam, with attention now on BJP’s candidate and campaign strategy for the key seat.
A file image of Gaurav Gogoi (Photo: @gauravGogoiAsm/x)
Jorhat, March 5: The Indian National Congress (INC) announcement on Tuesday night fielding APCC president and sitting Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi for the Jorhat LAC has significantly intensified the political landscape in Upper Assam and also set the stage for a high-stakes battle in Upper Assam, making the upcoming state election landscape far more interesting.
Political observers feel that, following the high-voltage electioneering drama witnessed across the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat in 2024, a similar high-stakes political battle will be fought between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the INC.
It is to be mentioned here that the Jorhat Assembly seat has been with the BJP since 2016, with Hitendra Nath Goswami winning for the second consecutive time in 2021 as a BJP candidate. Previously, Goswami won three consecutive terms starting from 1991 on an Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) ticket, served as a minister in the second Prafulla Mahanta-led government, and lost twice before joining the BJP.
Observers feel that Gogoi’s decision to contest from Jorhat – one of the 10 LACs comprising the Jorhat HPC – is likely to cause the BJP to recalibrate its campaign plan, starting with the candidate selection.
Though the Jorhat district BJP – fresh from an emphatic win in last year’s panchayat polls – requested Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to contest from the Jorhat Assembly seat, he has publicly stated several times that he is not inclined.
However, Sarma, who initiated a series of developmental activities in the district and chaired the Cabinet meeting in Jorhat in December 2022, has been touring Jorhat frequently and is now set to charge up the campaign here as he had done in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
According to party insiders, the Congress camp is reportedly upbeat to have their leader as the candidate, but political observers also pointed out that if Gogoi has to concentrate in the Jorhat LAC, then that would impact his campaign across the State.
As per the Congress party sources, there were seven aspirants, including two women, for the Jorhat ticket, and a few had begun meeting a cross-section of people for the past two to three months.
Now all eyes are on the BJP camp to know the candidate to be fielded to retain the seat and take on Gaurav Gogoi.
It is also to be mentioned here that for about a year, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Textiles and External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, has been moving across the Jorhat HPC – mostly in Jorhat LAC – attending various government programmes.
The move is seen by many as an initiative to strengthen the ruling party’s prospects in the region.