Congress releases first list of 42 candidates for Assam Assembly polls

The Congress on Tuesday released its first list of 42 candidates for the upcoming Assam Assembly polls, fielding state party chief Gaurav Gogoi from the Jorhat seat. Taking a lead in announcing the names of its candidates even before the declaration of the polls, the opposition party said Congress Legislature Party leader in Assam, Debabrata Saikia, will contest the election from the Nazira constituency.

Former PCC president Ripun Bora has been fielded from the Barchalla constituency. According to the list of candidates released by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal, Abdus Sobahan Ali Sarkar has been fielded from Gauripur, Markline Marak from Goalpara West (reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates), Girish Baruah from Bongaigaon and Mahananda Sarkar from Barpeta (reserved for Scheduled Cast candidates).

Ramen Singh Rabha will be the party candidate from the Boko-Chaygaon (ST) seat, Nandita Das from Hajo-Sualkuchi (SC) and Satyabrat Kalita from Kamalpur. Mira Borthakur Goswami has been fielded from Dispur, while Diganta Barman will be the party candidate from Barkhetri and Ashok Kumar Sarma from Nalbari.

The polls for the 126-member Assam Assembly are likely to be held in April. The Congress has been out of power in the northeastern state since 2016.