AIIUDF is fielding Badruddin Ajmal from Nagaon Lok Sabha seat

Badruddin Ajmal. Files | Photo credit: The Hindu

The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) named party president Mohammed Badruddin Ajmal as its candidate for the October 6 by-election to the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency in central Assam.

His nomination raised the possibility of a three-way contest in Nagaon, where Muslim voters have a majority.

Mr. Ajmal, MLA from Assam’s central Binnakandi constituency and former three-time MP from Dhubri in western Assam, will face former bureaucrat Devasish Sharma of the BJP and former MLA Sibamoni Bora of the Congress as his main rivals. Trinamool Congress fielded Abdul Salam.

Reacting to Mr. Ajmal’s nomination, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi indicated that he had done so on the BJP’s offer. “The AIUDF had another candidate in mind but reconsidered after the Congress announced its candidate,” he told reporters in Guwahati.

“The BJP understood that the Congress had fielded a strong candidate. They panicked and challenged their trusted political ally. Maulana Ajmalji took this step to help (Chief Minister) Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Mr Gogoi said, hinting that the AIUDF chief’s candidature was designed to help the BJP.

The Assam unit of the BJP shot down the Congress theory of a deal with the AUIDF. “In a democracy, any political party or individual has the right to contest from any seat,” a party spokesman said.

Nagaon essential for BJP

Earlier, the chief minister said the Nagaon bypoll was crucial for the BJP as a victory could pave the way for the party and its allies to bag all 126 seats in the 2031 Assembly elections. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance won 102 seats in the assembly elections held on April 9.

“There has been a significant shift in voter sentiment towards the BJP in Assam. Nagaon has been a Congress stronghold but we believe it will be a good show as people are leaning towards the BJP,” he said.

The by-election to the Nagaon parliamentary seat became necessary after Pradyut Bordoloi, who won a second term in 2024, quit the Congress to join the BJP and contest the state polls five months ago. He was elected from Dispur Assembly constituency.

Mr. Bordoloi broke the BJP’s unbroken streak of victories in Nagaon since the 1999 Lok Sabha elections. Vote counting for the October 6 by-election is scheduled for October 9. The deadline for submitting nomination papers is September 16, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until September 19.

Published – 15 September 2026 21:50 IST