Congress announces first list for Assam polls; Gaurav Gogoi to contest from Jorhat

Guwahati: With the opposition alliance yet to be fully formed, the AICC on Tuesday suddenly released the first list of 42 candidates for the Assam Assembly elections. The announcement puts the Congress on a collision course with Akhil Gogoi-led regional party Raijor Dal, which has been hoping to get some of these seats from the Congress once the alliance is finalized.The most prominent names in the 42-candidate list include Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi (Jorhat), Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia (Nazira), Congress MPs Nandita Das (Hajo-Sualkuchi) and Diganta Barman (Barkhetri).Assam Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur Goswami has been nominated from Guwahatidispur constituency. Youth leaders Tanzil Hussain and Prateik Bordoloi, sons of MPs Rakipur Hussain and Pradut Bordoloi, received tickets to Samaguri and Margherita respectively.The Congress’ decision to field former Assam PCC president Ripun Bora from Bachala and field Demo and Gauripur has rattled Rajour Dal, even as alliance discussions between the two are at an advanced stage.Gaurav Gogoi, the current Lok Sabha MP from Jorat, expressed his gratitude to the AICC leaders and the Central Election Commission for nominating him for the Jorat assembly seat.Gaurav wrote on“I would also like to thank my family, my mother, sister, wife and two small children who have endured a lot but always with grace, joy and dignity. To my Congress brothers, sisters, colleagues and elders, it is time for Assam to move in a new and bold direction,” he wrote, urging people to dream again of a new Greater Assam.Congress’ alliance plan with AJP, APHLC and the Left is about to be finalized, but talks with the Raijor Dal remain deadlocked.The Raijor Dal on Monday said it could form an alliance with the Congress if it agrees to give the party five priority seats out of 13 seats. Raijor Dal spokesperson Rasel Hussain told TOI: “Raijor Dal has strong candidates in Barchalla and Demow seats. The most important thing is that in the 2021 by-elections, we got much more votes in Demow than the Congress party. Our party workers were very enthusiastic this time. Therefore, the first list of Congress is a major disappointment for our party.”