Start preparing right now to empower Rahul Gandhi: Assam Mahila Congress Chief confident of win in Nagaon by-polls

Speaking to ANI, Borthakur asserted that securing a win in Nagaon is a vital stepping stone toward strengthening the party nationally and supporting Rahul Gandhi's campaign for Prime Minister.

"Regarding the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha election, that seat has historically been ours; it is a Congress seat. We are confident that we will be able to win it this time," Borthakur stated. "The public wants a Prime Minister, and if we want to see Rahul Gandhi in that role, we must start preparing right now for the 2029 elections."

She also took aim at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over the hasty announcement of candidates by rival political camps, claiming that the public has lost faith in the ruling party.

Borthakur confirmed that the Congress candidate for the Nagaon seat will be formally announced as soon as election dates are officially declared. The official voting date for the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election has not yet been announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election was necessitated after the sitting Member of Parliament (MP), Pradyut Bordoloi, resigned from the Indian National Congress (INC), defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and subsequently won the Dispur Assembly seat.

Because an individual cannot simultaneously hold a seat in the State Legislative Assembly and the Union Parliament, he vacated his parliamentary seat, prompting the Election Commission to organise a by-poll.

Pradyut Bordoloi, who had won the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat for Congress in 2024 with over 50% of the vote share, officially left the party prior to the 2026 Assam Assembly elections. He cited severe "humiliation, isolation, and internal conflict" within the state leadership of the Congress party as his primary reasons for leaving.

Following his switch, the BJP fielded him as their candidate for the prestigious Dispur constituency in the single-phase April 2026 assembly elections, which he won.

The AIUDF is also expected to field a candidate, creating a highly competitive, multi-cornered battle that could heavily fragment the regional vote share.

Earlier, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee on August 19 suspended 14 leaders from Barak Valley for their alleged involvement in anti-party activities, as per the official release.

As directed by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Gaurav Gogoi, these office-bearers have been suspended from the Congress party with immediate effect for a period of six years for adopting an "anti-party" stance during the 2026 Assam assembly elections.

According to the order, the suspended leaders include Silchar District Congress Committee Vice Presidents Samsur Rahman Choudhury (John), Aktar Hussain Barbhuiya, and Mojibur Rahman Choudhury, as well as General Secretaries Ajmol Hussain Laskar, Shaine Ahmed Laskar, Mehboob Hussain (Ripon), Hanif Alam Mazumder, Altaf Hussain Laskar (Titu), and Najib Ahmed Laskar.

Additionally, Assam Pradesh Youth Congress Committee General Secretary Ijaj Laskar, Minority Department General Secretary Jahur Choudhury, Sonai Mandal Congress Committee General Secretary Kadir Ahmed Laskar, former District Minority Department President Ansar Hussain Barlaskar, and Sonai Constituency Youth Congress President Rakib Ahmed Mazumder have also been suspended.

This decision was made public through an order signed by Ramanna Baruah, General Secretary (Organisation) of Pradesh Congress. (ANI)