Nagaon bypoll: AIUDF fields Badruddin Ajmal, sets up three-way battle
Guwahati, Sep 15 (IANS) The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) on Tuesday named party chief and Binnakandi MLA Badruddin Ajmal as its candidate for the October 6 Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election, turning the contest into a three-cornered battle involving the BJP, Congress and AIUDF.
Ajmal’s candidature was announced just a day before the September 16 deadline for filing nominations, ending speculation over the party’s choice for the high-profile bypoll.
The AIUDF had earlier indicated that Rezaul Karim Sarkar could be its nominee, but eventually opted to put its supremo directly into the electoral contest.
The BJP has fielded former IAS officer Debasish Sharma, who entered active politics after taking voluntary retirement from government service and joined the BJP on September 8.
The Congress, meanwhile, has nominated former Batadroba MLA Sibamoni Bora.
With all three principal candidates now in the fray, Nagaon is expected to witness a closely fought contest in which vote consolidation and the division of the traditional opposition space could play a decisive role.
The AIUDF’s decision to field Ajmal assumes significance because of his political standing and the party’s established presence among sections of voters in Assam. His candidature could potentially alter the electoral calculations of both the BJP and Congress, particularly if the contest develops along sharply polarised lines.
For the Congress, the entry of Ajmal adds another challenge as the party seeks to retain a constituency that has been won by it for the last two Lok Sabha elections. Bora’s candidature was aimed at providing the party with a familiar political face from the Nagaon-Batadraba region.
The BJP, on the other hand, is seeking to expand its influence in a seat where Congress has maintained a strong presence.
Sharma’s administrative background as a former civil servant and his familiarity with the Nagaon region are likely to be central to the BJP’s campaign.
The bypoll was necessitated after Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi vacated the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat and subsequently joined the BJP before contesting the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.
The last date for filing nominations is September 16, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until September 19.
Voting will take place on October 6, and counting of votes will be held on October 9.
The outcome is expected to provide an important indication of the political mood in central Assam ahead of the 2029 general election, making Nagaon one of the state’s most closely watched electoral contests.
–IANS
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