Assam Assembly polls: Congress announces final list of 7 candidates

The Congress on Sunday announced its fifth and final list of seven candidates for the Assam Assembly elections.

With this, the party has declared candidates for 101 of the 126 seats in the state Assembly.

"The Central Election Committee (CEC) of Congress has selected the Congress candidates for the ensuing elections to the Assam Legislative Assembly," an official statement from AICC general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal said.

Among the candidates declared in the final list are Joseph Hasda from the Gossaigaon seat, Birkhang Boro from Dotma-ST, Rajat Kanti Saha from the Bijni and Anchula Gwara Daimary from the Bhergaon seat.

 

The party also declared Narayan Adhikari as its candidate from the Mazbat, Nirmal Langthasa from Haflong-ST and Amar Chand Jain from the Katigorah assembly constituency.

The Congress on Friday released its fourth list of seven candidates, dropping a sitting MLA while leaving 11 seats for its alliance partner, Raijor Dal.

The party, which is contesting the state elections as part of a six-party alliance, had earlier announced that it would leave 15 seats for its allies.

The Congress has been out of power in the northeastern state since 2016, while the BJP-led government will be eyeing a third straight term.

In the outgoing Assembly, the ruling BJP has a strength of 64, while its allies Asom Gana Parishad has nine MLAs, United People's Party Liberal seven and Bodoland People's Front three members.

In the opposition camp, the Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF has 15 and CPI(M) has one member. There is also one Independent legislator.

The elections to the 126-member Assam assembly will be held on April 9. Votes will be counted on May 4.