The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has invited applications from party members seeking the Congress ticket for the bypoll, setting August 28 as the deadline.
An official circular issued by APCC general secretary (organisation) Ramanna Baruah said members seeking nomination must submit their applications in the prescribed format.
APCC chief Gaurav Gogoi had expressed confidence that the Congress will win the Nagaon bypoll. Recently All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) AIUDF President Badruddin Ajmal has rejected Congress party’s offer of jointly fighting the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat.
A senior party leader in AIUDF said, “The party is reconsidering its plan. Party is considering Badruddin Ajmal to be fielded. The party had earlier announced Rezaul Karim Sarkar as its candidate”.
Ajmal is MLA from Binnakandi Assembly.The Congress earlier has stated that it had sought AIUDF’s support rather than a contest against it. Assam Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Wazed Ali Choudhury alleged that the AIUDF had decided to field a candidate under pressure.
“We had asked the AIUDF to support us. But we already knew that they would not pay heed to our request because they are under pressure,” Choudhury said.Choudhury said in the 2024 elections AIUDF fielded a candidate, but Congress wrested the seat. He expressed confidence that the party would retain the constituency even if the AIUDF fields a candidate.
Congress has won this seat in 2019 and 2024. In assembly polls held in April AIUDF made repeated overtures for the opposition alliance however Congress went to polls with allies Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP)and Raijor Dal.
In the 2021 assembly polls AIUDF and Congress had jointly fought the assembly polls. Soon after the poll debacle Congress snapped ties with AIUDF.
