• After Pradyut Bordoloi, Congress leader Rakibul Hussain vie for Nagaon LS constituency

    Politics
    After Pradyut Bordoloi, Congress leader Rakibul Hussain vie for Nagaon LS constituency

    Among the prominent applicants is Pradyut Bordoloi, the sitting MP, who has expressed his intention to seek re-election from the Nagaon constituency...

    Digital Desk: In a flurry of political activity, 71 members of the Congress party, including two incumbent MPs and the deputy leader of the opposition in the Assam Assembly, have submitted applications seeking party tickets for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as announced in a party release.


    Among the prominent applicants is Pradyut Bordoloi, the sitting MP, who has expressed his intention to seek re-election from the Nagaon constituency. A surprising entrant to the race is Rakibul Hussain, the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and former cabinet minister, who has filed his application for the Nagaon constituency. Hussain, currently the MLA from Samaguri falling under Nagaon, adds an unexpected twist to the political landscape.


    The move by Hussain has sparked speculations about internal disputes within the Congress, especially regarding Gaurav Gogoi's anticipated candidacy from Nagaon. With Hussain now in the fray, it remains to be seen if Gogoi will consider his backup plan of relocating to the Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency.


    The Jorhat constituency, a Congress stronghold until 2014, was previously represented by Gaurav Gogoi's father and former chief minister, Tarun Gogoi. However, Gaurav Gogoi is yet to file his application. Complicating matters further, Gogoi lost his existing constituency, Kaliabor, in the recent delimitation exercise.


    Meanwhile, Abdul Khaleque, the Barpeta MP, has also submitted his application without specifying his preferred seat, adding an element of suspense to the candidate selection process.


    The state Congress has extended the deadline for filing applications until December 22, providing candidates with additional time to express their interest in the 14 Lok Sabha seats allocated to the northeastern state.


    The party shared a list of the 71 applications received so far, with the Dhubri constituency attracting the highest number of 11 aspirants, while Kokrajhar has only one candidate so far.


    Notably, the state Congress extended the application deadline, initially set to end on Tuesday, reflecting the high level of interest and participation in the candidate selection process. Each applicant is required to deposit a fee of Rs 1 lakh, as stipulated by an earlier circular issued by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee.


    Amidst these developments, the Congress, as part of the 15-member opposition forum in the state, is gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party will need to coordinate with other members of the United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA) to avoid fielding candidates in specific constituencies. The UOFA, aligned with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, recently held a strategic conclave to plan its approach for the upcoming polls. As per the party's circular, fees for candidates applying in restricted constituencies will be refunded. The political landscape in Assam is poised for further developments as the deadline for applications approaches.