Guwahati, 20th December: In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, 71 Congress members, including two incumbent MPs and the deputy leader of the opposition in the Assam Assembly, have applied for party tickets, according to an official release. Incumbent MP Pradyut Bordoloi seeks re-election from the Nagaon constituency, while Deputy Leader of Opposition Rakibul Hussain surprises by entering the Nagaon race. Despite internal disputes, Gaurav Gogoi, who initially eyed Nagaon, might now consider the Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency as a backup plan. Jorhat was previously a Congress stronghold, represented twice by Gogoi’s father, Tarun Gogoi. Gaurav Gogoi, the current Lok Sabha MP from Kaliabor, is yet to file his application.
Meanwhile, Barpeta MP Abdul Khaleque has submitted his papers without specifying his preferred seat. The deadline for filing applications, initially set to conclude on Tuesday, has been extended by the state unit until December 22. The state Congress shared a list of 71 applications for the 14 seats in the lower House from Assam. Dhubri constituency leads with 11 applications, while only one aspirant has emerged for Kokrajhar. The party has extended the application deadline to accommodate more submissions.
Assam PCC President Bhupen Kumar Borah decided to extend the deadline, allowing aspiring INC candidates more time to submit their applications for the upcoming Lok Sabha Election 2024. The application process, underway since December 11, requires each applicant to deposit a fee of Rs 1 lakh. As part of a 15-member opposition forum in the state, the Congress aims to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections collectively. In adherence to the United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA), comprising 15 parties aligned with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), candidates for specific constituencies will be refunded their fees. The UOFA, including AJP, Raijor Dal, CPI(M), CPI, Jatiya Dal-Asom, NCP, RJD, Janata Dal (U), TMC, CPI(ML), and AAP, recently convened to strategize for the upcoming polls.
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