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Raijor Dal president and candidate from Sibsagar constituency, Akhil Gogoi, cast his vote for the 2026 Assam Assembly election on Thursday, claiming that he will win with a margin of about 50,000 votes.
Speaking to ANI, Akhil Gogoi expressed happiness after voting in his own constituency, as at the time of polling for the 2021 elections, he was in jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He said, "This is the first time for me to vote in my local constituency, because last time I was in jail. This time I am happy. We are facing an undemocratic government, and the BJP Chief Minister is a fascist. The main aim is to save democracy. I will win with a margin of 50,000 votes." Incumbent MLA and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi is looking to retain his stronghold in the historic Ahom capital, but the challenge has taken a complex turn with a "friendly contest" between the ruling NDA allies. Gogoi is fighting to retain his seat against two NDA alliance candidates: Prodip Hazarika (AGP) and Kushal Dowari (BJP). Akhil Gogoi is backed by the Congress-led six-party alliance, while Prodip Hazarika (AGP) is a veteran of the Assam Agitation and five-time MLA from Amguri, and Kushal Dowari (BJP) is a former ULFA member and two-time MLA, fielded as a "friendly" challenger to consolidate the core saffron vote. In a historic feat, Akhil Gogoi won the seat in 2021 while incarcerated following the anti-CAA protests, defeating the BJP's Surabhi Rajkonwar by over 11,000 votes. Raijor Dal was formed after the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) agitation in Assam, and Akhil Gogoi could produce a decisive result in the last polls even after being jailed under the UAPA. For Raijor Dal, Sibsagar is a must-win to remain a relevant force in Assam's regionalist landscape. The results for the 126-seat Assam Assembly elections will be announced on May 4. (ANI)
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