TMC finalises 22 candidates in Assam, keeps BJP rebels out of fray

Silchar, March 26: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has finalised a strategic slate of 22 candidates for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, signalling an intensified push in the state while emphasising a “principle-driven” approach to candidate selection.

Addressing the press on Wednesday, Rajya Sabha MP and senior party leader Sushmita Dev said the party has consciously avoided inducting rebel leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), prioritising organisational stability over short-term electoral gains.

“This election is not about opportunistic gains. By focusing on candidates with proven loyalty and avoiding defectors, we are sending a clear, principle-driven message to voters and building a stable team that can deliver for Assam,” Dev said.

She said the strategy was shaped in consultation with party chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, drawing lessons from frequent post-election defections over the past five years that weakened party structures.

“Many who left Congress or the BJP returned to their former parties or rejoined the BJP after winning elections. That experience has shaped our approach this time,” she added.

The TMC said it aims to position itself as a “formidable alternative” by fielding candidates in areas where it has built an organisational base.

These include constituencies across Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Barak Valley, and parts of Upper, Middle and Lower Assam, along with hill districts.

Leaders such as Abhijit Majumdar, a former Congress mayoral project leader, are expected to spearhead the campaign in Guwahati, while the party is also targeting rural strongholds to expand beyond urban pockets.

Dev said around 80 applications were received from across Upper Assam, Lower Assam, Barak Valley and the hill districts, with selections guided by three key criteria, organisational strength, candidate suitability, and inclusive representation.

“The party wants to offer the people a credible alternative. Our candidate selection reflects loyalty, community balance and inclusivity,” she said.

Clarifying the final numbers, Dev said the party had initially finalised 23 candidates and submitted the list to the central leadership in Kolkata in December.

However, one candidate, Paresh Borah, who was to contest from the Mariani constituency in Jorhat district, withdrew at the last moment due to a serious family emergency that required him to travel to Chennai.

The current list is the culmination of a phased expansion strategy by the TMC in Assam. The party had earlier released its first list of 17 candidates, marking its initial electoral push in the state.

In the second list, it announced seven additional candidates while also withdrawing the candidature of Dulu Ahmed, taking the effective tally to 23 nominees.

With the subsequent withdrawal of the Mariani candidate, the final number now stands at 22.

The calibrated rollout of candidates, underscores the party’s attempt to steadily scale its presence in Assam.