Bordoloi, a Congress MP from Nagaon, joined the BJP on Wednesday in the presence of Sarma and state party chief Dilip Saikia, marking a high-profile switch ahead of the polls.
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Another Congress turncoat, Bhupen Kumar Borah, has been fielded from Bihpuria — a constituency he has represented twice in the past — signalling the BJP’s continued strategy of banking on defectors with established local bases.
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Sarma, who has held Jalukbari since 2001, has consistently won the seat by comfortable margins. His political journey in the constituency had an early setback in 1996, when he lost by over 17,000 votes to veteran Asom Gana Parishad leader Bhrigu Phukan, but he has since turned it into a stronghold.
Madhavi Das has been fielded from Birsing-Jarua, Jyotsana Kalita from Chamaria, and Nilima Devi from Mangaldai.The BJP’s first list of candidates was finalised by its Central Election Committee at a meeting held on Wednesday evening, chaired by party president Nitin Nabin.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with other members of the party’s top poll panel. Assam BJP chief Dilip Saikia was also present. (With inputs from PTI)
