Hindustan Times ·
Politics
Nagaon LS bypoll: First poll tussle in Assam after BJP’s victory in election
The Nagaon seat fell vacant in March this year after the sitting Congress MP, Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the party and joined the BJP
The four primary candidates for the upcoming Nagaon bypoll are a disparate lot: a recently retired IAS officer making his poll debut, the head of a regional outfit trying to revive the party’s fortunes, a former legislator seeking another electoral glory and a retired college vice-principal attempting a political launch.
They go against each other for the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam on October 6, marking the first electoral battle in the northeastern state. This follows the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies winning a one-sided victory in the assembly polls in April this year, securing 102 of the 126 seats.
Since this is the first time both ruling and opposition parties return to the poll battle after the assembly polls earlier this year, the Nagaon bye-election is seen as an interesting contest. The entry of heavyweights into the fray has made the battle noteworthy.
The Nagaon seat fell vacant in March this year after the sitting Congress MP, Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the party and joined the BJP. He later won from the Dispur assembly seat on a BJP ticket in the April assembly polls.
While filing of nominations ends today, scrutiny of the nominations is scheduled for Thursday; the last date to withdraw nominations is September 19. Counting of votes is scheduled for October 9, three days after voting.
The BJP candidate, Debasish Sharma, a former IAS officer, was, until the start of this month, the deputy commissioner of Nagaon. Following his voluntary retirement on September 3, he joined the saffron party and was immediately given the ticket.