Guwahati: The much-awaited byelection to the five legislative assembly constituencies in Assam is going to take place on November 13. Falling vacant of five seats including Samaguri, Behali, Bongaigaon, Dholai and Sidli after the last Lok Sabha elections necessitated the process.
While the Dholai seat fell vacant after its MLA Parimal Shuklabaidya won the Lok Sabha seat and resigned from the assembly, members of legislative assemblies from Sidli, Samaguri, Bongaigaon and Samaguri also won the Lok Sabha elections and resigned from their MLA posts. The Election Commission of India on Tuesday announced that the byelection to the five legislative assembly constituencies will be held on November 13 while the counting of votes on November 23.
As per the ECI data, the total number of 9,10,126 voters across the five constituencies will exercise their franchise. There are 1,82,354 voters in Bongaigaon, 1,80,386 in Samaguri, 1,97,642 in Dholai, 1,32,579 in Behali and 2,17,165 in Sidli assembly constituency. The ECI announcement has set in motion the hectic lobby among various political parties for tickets.
While the Congress has a strong presence in the Samaguri constituency represented by former minister Rakibul Hussain in the last five terms, the BJP seemingly has an upper hand in the Dholai constituency represented by its incumbent Lok Sabha MP Parimal Suklabaidya. Similarly, the BJP has a strong presence in the Behali constituency represented by present Lok Sabha MP Ranjit Dutta for four terms since 2001. However, there are reports of infighting among the candidates in Behali which might cost the saffron party some votes during the byelection.
The Bongaigaon constituency on the other hand is a forte of the regional political party, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). Present Lok Sabha MP from Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency Phani Bhushan Choudhury held the Bongaigaon assembly constituency for eight consecutive terms since 1985.
The AGP is an ally of the BJP-led government in Assam and BJP is unlikely to field a candidate for byelection. Joyanta Basumatary of the United Peoples' Party (Liberal) (UPPL) won the Sidli assembly segment in 2021. However, Sidli was a forte of another regional political party, Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF), represented by former minister Chandan Brahma from 2006 to 2016.
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