Five Newly Elected MLAs in Assam to Take Oath Today Following Bypolls Victory
These elections were held to fill vacancies caused by the previous MLAs' election to the Lok Sabha earlier this year.
Guwahati: Five newly elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in Assam are set to take their oath of office on Friday, November 29, after securing victories in the recently concluded Assembly byelections.
These elections were held to fill vacancies caused by the previous MLAs’ election to the Lok Sabha earlier this year.
The newly elected MLAs include three candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and one each from its coalition partners, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). This outcome further consolidates the BJP-led coalition’s hold on the state, with the party maintaining a strong presence across several constituencies.
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Congress Faces Setback in Assam Byelections
Despite contesting all five seats up for grabs in the bypolls, the Congress party faced a significant defeat, failing to secure any of the constituencies. One of the biggest upsets came in the Samaguri Assembly constituency, a traditionally stronghold seat for Congress, where Diplu Ranjan Sarmah of the BJP emerged victorious. Congress heavyweight Rakibul Hussain’s son, Tanzil Hussain, was defeated by Sarmah in a closely contested race.
Rakibul Hussain, who had represented Samaguri in the Assam Assembly since 2001, vacated the seat after his victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He accused the BJP of large-scale rigging and manipulating the election results in Samaguri. He alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma used the state’s administrative machinery to ensure his son’s defeat in the bypoll. Hussain’s claims pointed to vote rigging in several polling booths under the Samaguri constituency.
Assam’s Bypolls: Results and Analysis
The five Assembly constituencies that went to bypolls were Dholai, Behali, Samaguri, Bongaigaon, and Sidli, which had been vacated by their respective MLAs after being elected to the Lok Sabha in the 2019 general elections.
- Dholai and Behali: Both these constituencies were retained by the BJP. In Dholai, Nihar Ranjan Das secured a comfortable victory, while in Behali, Diganta Ghatowal was elected with ease.
- Samaguri: In a significant political shift, the BJP managed to win Samaguri, historically a Congress stronghold, through Diplu Ranjan Sarmah. This victory represents a breach into Congress’s traditional voter base.
- Bongaigaon: The AGP triumphed in Bongaigaon, with Diptimayee Choudhury securing a decisive victory by a margin of 35,164 votes. Diptimayee’s win marks another victory for the AGP in Assam’s politics, and she is the wife of Phanibhusan Choudhury, a former six-time MLA and current Lok Sabha MP from Barpeta.
- Sidli: The UPPL, a BJP ally, also registered a notable win in Sidli, where Hagrama Mohilary defeated the nearest rival by a margin of 37,016 votes.
Political Implications and Future Prospects
The BJP-led coalition’s success in the Assam bypolls reinforces its position as the dominant political force in the state. With victories across various constituencies, including a key Congress stronghold like Samaguri, the BJP continues to strengthen its political footprint.
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The BJP’s allies, AGP and UPPL, also emerged victorious, showing strong performance in their respective constituencies. The AGP’s win in Bongaigaon and the UPPL’s success in Sidli highlight the continuing significance of the BJP-led alliance in Assam’s political landscape.
Conclusion
The bypoll results in Assam have handed a significant victory to the BJP and its allies, with five newly elected MLAs poised to take their oath. Congress’s poor performance, especially in the crucial Samaguri seat, indicates a potential decline in its influence in the state. These results are likely to shape the political dynamics in Assam as the BJP and its coalition partners look to build on their growing dominance in the state.
