Four of the five recent defectors from the Congress, including an MP and three MLAs, have made it to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s list of 88 candidates for the April 9 assembly elections in Assam.
The first list released by the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday (March 19, 2026) has 19 MLAs missing, including Assembly Deputy Speaker Numal Momin (Bokajan constituency), Minister Nandita Garlos (Haflong) and Phanidhar Talukdar, who defected after winning the Bhabani Front ticket to the All India Democrats in 2021.
The BJP has rewarded Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi, who quit the Congress two days ago, with a nomination from the Dispur seat, currently held by its five-time MLA Atul Bora. The party also nominated former State Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah from Bihpura constituency.
Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, who won the 2021 polls from Karimganj North in Barak Valley, is the BJP candidate from Katigorah, while his counterpart Sashi Kanta Das has been fielded from the Raha seat. The last named will get this seat for Congress incl
Basanta Das, the third Congress MLA (Mangaldoi), who joined the BJP with them, was left out.
There are two more MLAs on the list of candidates who have won the 2021 elections on Congress tickets. They are Sushanta Borgohain and Rupjyoti Kurmi. While Mr Borgohain, who won from Thowrah in 2021, is fighting for the seat of Demowa, Mr Kurmi is seeking re-election from Mariani. Both the seats are in East Assam.
A look at the sixth term
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is the BJP candidate from Jalukbari, one of four constituencies in the Kamrup metropolitan district, most of which covers Guwahati. A notable omission in one of the other three seats – New Guwahati – is former State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharya, who was instrumental in bringing Mr Sarma to the BJP from the Congress in 2015.
Many BJP members, unhappy with the denial of a ticket to Mr. Bhattacharya, said it was expected as the current party leadership is phasing out the “old brigade”.
Mr Bora, of the senior group of leaders, said the list was shocking when “everyone knew I would get a ticket”. He had earlier said that the “birds, trees, jungles, tigers, bears, dogs, cats, cows and goats” in Dispur were confident of his renomination.
Of the 88 candidates, six are women. Apart from minister Ajanta Neoga (Golaghat seat), also a Congress import, the female candidates are new faces. They are Madhavi Das (Birsing-Jarua), Jyotsna Kalita (Chamaria), Nilima Devi (Mangaldai), Niso Terangpi (Diphu) and Rupali Langthasa (Haflong).
BJP ministers seeking re-election are Ranjeet Kumar Dass from Bhowanipur-Sorbhog, Chandra Mohan Patowary from Tihu, Ranoj Pegu from Dhemaji, Ashok Singhal from Dhekiajuli, Pijush Hazarika from Jagiroad, Bimal Bora from Tingkhong, Jayanta Di Mallabar Baruah,anta Prauah from Rai from Lakhipur, Krishnendu Paul from Patharkandi and Rupesh Gowala from Doomdoom.
Earlier, the chief minister had said that BJP’s allies Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front would contest 26 and 11 seats respectively. Both parties have not yet announced their candidates. One seat is not clear.
Published – March 19, 2026 12:45 PM IST
