Guwahati– Bye-elections for five crucial assembly constituencies in Assam began on Wednesday, setting the stage for a major electoral showdown between the ruling BJP-led alliance and the opposition Congress-led bloc. The vacant seats—Dholai (SC), Sidli (ST), Bongaigaon, Behali, and Samaguri—have drawn significant political attention following the previous representatives’ election to parliamentary seats.
The elections feature a total of 34 candidates, with many new contenders entering the political arena. Polls opened at 7 AM and will conclude at 5 PM across 1,078 polling stations, with over nine lakh registered voters expected to participate. To ensure a seamless voting process, around 9,000 polling staff are stationed, supported by security enhancements and technology, including webcasting at 592 locations. In a nod to gender inclusivity, 14 polling stations are staffed exclusively by women, while 11 centers are designed as model polling booths.
Security remains a top priority, with 15 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces and approximately 1,500 personnel deployed alongside Assam Police to maintain order.
Among the battlegrounds, Samaguri has emerged as a key focus, where Congress candidate Tanzil Hussain, son of Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain, faces off against BJP’s Diplu Ranjan Sarma. In Behali, ex-BJP member Jayanta Borah contests for Congress, confronting BJP’s Diganta Ghatowal, while candidates from CPI(ML) and AAP add further competition.
In Bongaigaon, a long-held AGP seat, Diptimayee Choudhury, wife of MP Phani Bhusan Choudhury, looks to extend her family’s political legacy since 1985, with her main challenger being Congress’s Brajenjit Singha.
Dholai’s contest in Barak Valley brings BJP’s Nihar Ranjan Das against Congress’s Dhrubajyoti Purkayastha, while Sidli, located in the Bodoland Territorial Region, sees a rare Congress entry after two decades, with Sanjib Warie competing against UPPL’s Nirmal Kumar Brahma and BPF’s Suddho Kumar Basumatary.
Of these constituencies, Samaguri was formerly a Congress stronghold, while the other four were held by the BJP-led alliance. Currently, the BJP leads in the 126-seat Assam assembly with 61 seats, supported by AGP’s eight and UPPL’s six seats. The opposition coalition is led by Congress with 26 seats, along with AIUDF’s 15, BPF’s three, and a representative from CPI(M) within a broader left coalition.