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Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal & 5 Ministers, jailed KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi, former student leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi and first timer Pranjal Ghatowar of Congress are among the 264 candidates in the fray in Phase I of Assam Assembly elections 2021.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is among the key candidates going to polls in Phase 1 (Mar 27) of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections 2021. He is contesting from the Majuli seat for the second time. He won the seat in the 2016 Assembly election defeating three-time MLA, Rajib Lochan Pegu of Congress party (INC).
Majuli will see a five-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Majuli seat are three-time MLA from Majuli, Rajib Lochan Pegu of the Congress (INC), (Das won in 2001, 2006, and 2011, lost to Sarbananda Sonowal in the 2016 elections); first-time contestant Sishudhar Doley (Assam Jatiya Parishad), Purna Pegu (Independent), and Bhaity Richong (Socialist Unity Centre of India).
Prior to becoming the Chief Minister of Assam, Sonowal served as the Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs in the first term of the Narendra Modi government (2014-19).
Sonowal got elected to the 16th Lok Sabha from the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha constituency in 2014 on a BJP ticket. The student leader, (Sonowal was AASU president from 1992 to 1999) was with the AGP from 2001 to 2011. He joined the BJP in 2011. He served as the President of Assam BJP and was also a National Executive Member of the party before taking over as the CM of Assam.
In the 2016 Assam Elections, Sonowal defeated Rajib Lochan Pegu by 18,923 votes.
All eyes are going to be on Pranjal Ghatowar, the son of former Union Minister and senior Assam Congress leader, Paban Singh Ghatowar, who is contesting from the Moran constituency. He is contesting for the first time on an Indian National Congress (INC) ticket.
Pranjal Ghatowar is a Graduate from Delhi University and a 2007 batch MBA from Blackpool University, United Kingdom (UK).
Ghatowar belongs to a family of politicians. His father Paban Singh Ghatowar is a member of the Indian National Congress and has been elected as Member of Parliament five times from Dibrugarh. He was the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Development of North Eastern Region and Parliamentary Affairs from July 2011 to May 2014.
Pranjal's mother Jibontara Ghatowar is a two-time (2006 and 2011) MLA from Moran.
Moran will see a six-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Moran seat are Chakradhar Gogoi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), (Gogoi defeated Paban Singh Ghatowar in the 2016 election by 16,231 votes), first-time contestant Sanjib Changmai (Assam Jatiya Parishad), and three independent candidates - Mohini Mohan Ligira, Eliash Sichan, and Raphael Kujur.
Jogen Mohan Assam's Minister of State (Independent Charge) Revenue and Disaster Management is contesting from the Mahmara constituency. This is the third time he is contesting. In the 2016 Assam elections, he defeated Suruj Dehingia of Congress party (INC) by 14,325 votes. Mohan lost the 2011 Assam Assembly elections and was third in the race from the constituency.
Mahmara will see a seven-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Mahmara seat are Suruj Dehingia of the Congress (INC), (Dehingia lost to Jogen Mohan in the 2016 election), first-time contestant Manik Gogoi (Assam Jatiya Parishad), Bhupen Phukon (AIFB), Biman Boruah (Nationalist Congress Party), and two independent candidates - Ranjit Sahu and Lohit Gogoi.
Rupjyoti Kurmi is the sitting MLA from the Mariani constituency. He is a Congress party politician who won the 2016 Assam Elections with a total of 36701 votes. He is contesting from the Mariani seat for the fourth time.
He won the Mariani seat three consecutive times -- 2006, 2011, and 2016. He defeated Alak Kumar Ghose of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and All India Trinamool Congress by 3017, 7058, and 1793 votes respectively. Ghose contested twice on NCP ticket (2006 and 2016) and once (2011) on Trinamool Congress (AITC) ticket.
His mother Late Rupam Kurmi won the Mariani seat three times as a Congress candidate in 1991, 1996, and 2001. Kurmi was a Cabinet Minister of Assam.
In the run-up to the Assam elections, Rupjyoti Kurmi said with confidence that he is capable enough of becoming the next Chief Minister of Assam.
Mariani will see a three-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Mariani seat are Ramani Tanti of BJP and Gopal Chandra Ghatuwar of Asom Songrami Mancha.
Naharkatia will see an interesting battle in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, 2021. Former student leader and General Secretary of AASU Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who is the now President of the newly-formed political party, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) will be contesting the Assembly elections for the first time from Naharkatia. Gogoi was the General Secretary of AASU from 2015. He resigned in November, 2020 to join AJP as its President. Gogoi, as a student leader played a key role in the anti-CAA agitation of 2019.
Another key candidate from this constituency is Taranga Gogoi. He too is a first timer, contesting the Assam elections on a BJP ticket. A close aide of Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Gogoi is quite popular in his constituency.
Veteran Congress leader and four-time (1996, 2001, 2006, and 2011) MLA from Naharkatia Pranati Phukan too is in the fray from Naharkati. She would be contesting for the sixth time. She lost the 2016 Assam elections to Naren Sonowal of AGP, the sitting MLA of Naharkatia.
Naharkatia will see a five-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Naharkatia seat are Naren Sonowal (AGP), and Tanu Kumar Dhadumia (Independent).
Former Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia would be contesting from the Nazira seat for the third time. He is the sitting MLA of Nazira. Congress has won this seat 13 times of the 15 times Assam Assembly elections were held.
In the 2011 and 2016 Assam Assembly Elections, Debabrata Saikia defeated Drupad Borgohain of CPI and Prohlad Gowala of BJP by 33810 and 14855 votes respectively.
Former Assam Chief Minister, Late Hiteswar Saikia (Debabrata's father) won the Nazira seat five times -- 1972, 1978, 1983, 1985, and 1991.
His mother, Hemoprobha Saikia won the seat twice – 1996 and 2001.
Nazira will see a five-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Naharkatia seat are Mayur Borgohain (BJP), Ribulaya Gogoi (AJP), Horen Borgohain (AIFB), and Mintu Boruah (Independent).
Angoorlata Deka is the sitting MLA of Batadroba Constituency will be trying her luck for the second time this Assam Assembly elections. She has been quite active with her political activities in the run-up to the elections. The actor-turned politician also danced Bihu during her campaigning. She is also the Vice Chairperson of Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati.
In the 2016 Assam Assembly Election, Deka defeated three-time MLA from Batadroba, Gautom Bora of Indian National Congress (INC). She joined BJP in the year 2015 and was one of the 6 women candidates from the saffron party to get a ticket to contest the 2016 Assembly Elections. She is among the two BJP candidates who won the 2016 Assembly elections. She was among the young faces of the 2016 Sarbananda Sonowal Government.
Angoorlata has a good hold over Batadroba Constituency since her first term, this will make the battle interesting.
Batadraba will see a seven-cornered contest. The other candidates are Musleha Begum (Rashtriya Ulama Council), Matiur Rahman (Independent), Fakar Uddin, a businessman, is contesting the elections for the first time on an Asom Jana Morcha (AJM) ticket, Prafulla Rajkhowa (Independent), Sibamoni Bora (INC) contesting for the first time and Anupam Baruah of Janata Dal.
One of the key players of Assam agitation (the movement against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam) of 1979 and five-time MLA of Dhakuakhana, Bharat Chandra Narah would be contesting from the Naobaoicha seat this time on a Congress (INC) ticket. He will be contesting Assam Assembly elections for the eighth time.
He won the Assam Assembly elections from Dhakuakhana five-times between 1985-2011. He won the Dhakuakhana seat three times as a Congress candidate, once as an Independent candidate and once as an AGP candidate. He lost the 2011 and 2016 Assam Assembly elections to Naba Kumar Doley of BJP.
He is a three-time former Cabinet Minister in the Assam government (1985-1987), (1988-1990), and (2001-2011). From 2012 to 2016, Narah was the Assam Chief Minister's Press Advisor.
Before joining Congress, Narah was a member of the Assam Gana Parishad (AGP). He was also a leader of the All Assam Students Union (AASU). Narah is the husband of former Union Minister and four-time Congress MP, Ranee Narah.
Naoboicha will see a twelve-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Naoboicha seat are Putali Kayastha (AJP), Jayanta Khaund (AGP), Bikash Debnath (BGP), Biri Joy (NPP), Dipak Saikia (NCP), Anupam Chutia (SUCI), Ubaidur Rahman (RUC), and four independent candidates - Saheba Ahmed, Abdul Goffur, Ajijur Rahman, and Rao Gajendra Singh.
Jagadish Bhuyan is contesting from the Sadiya seat for the fifth time. He is a two-time (1996 & 2001) MLA from Sadiya. A former leader of the Assam agitation of 1979, Bhuyan had served as the Tourism Minister in the Prafulla Kumar Mahanta government between 1998-2001.
Bhuyan contested from the Sadiya seat four times on an AGP ticket. In 2015 he left AGP and joined BJP. In 2020 he joined the recently launched Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) as its General Secretary.
Bhuyan will be contesting the upcoming Assam Assembly elections on an AJP ticket from Sadiya. His closest rival is Bolin Chetia of BJP, who won the Sadiya seat three times in 2006, 2011, and 2016 on a Congress (INC) ticket. Chetia defeated Bhuyan twice in 2006 and 2011 by 2794 and 6867 votes respectively.
Eyes will be on Jagadish Bhuyan as this time he will be contesting on an AJP ticket. AJP was formed after leaders of two student bodies – AASU and AJYCP came together. AJP's main poll plank is CAA will not be implemented in Assam. The party's President is student leader and former General Secretary of AASU, Lurinjyoti Gogoi.
Sadiya will see a six-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Sadiya seat are Lakhin Chandra Chetia (INC), Tikendra Thapa (VPI), and two Independent candidates - Lalit Deori and Rijumoni Gogoi.
Rakibul Hussain, a four-time Congress MLA from Samaguri and a former minister of Assam will be contesting from Samaguri for the fifth time. He has been winning the Samaguri seat since 2001. He won the 2016 Assam Assembly elections as well. He is the sitting MLA of Samaguri. Hussain was the Minister of State for Home (Jail and Home Guards) Border in 2001. In 2002, he was the Minister for Area Development and Passport. In 2004, he was the Minister of State for Home, Political, Passport, HAJ, BAD, Information Technology, Printing and Stationery. From 2006-2011, he was the Minister for Environment and Forest, Tourism, Information and Public Relation, Printing and Stationery, etc. From 2011-16, he was the Minister for Forest and Environment, Panchayat and Rural Development.
Among the four victories, the biggest one for Hussain was when he defeated two-time former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in 2016. Mahanta was contesting on an AGP ticket.
Samaguri will see a four-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Samaguri seat are Abidur Rahman (AJP), Anil Saikia (BJP), and Pranjit Bhowmik (BGP).
Akhil Gogoi, jailed KMSS leader and President of recently launched regional political party Raijor Dal would be contesting from Sibsagar. He is a first-time contestant. Gogoi played a prominent role in the anti-CAA agitation that saw violent protests across Assam in 2019. He was arrested in December 2019 for allegedly instigating violence during the anti-CAA protests. The National Investigative Agency (NIA) has booked him on charges of sedition. There are at least 13 cases against him. He continues to be in jail.
He is the founder Secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a left-wing peasant organisation based in Assam. He has been leading many anti-graft movements in the state over the years.
Gogoi caught the attention at the national level after he was awarded the Shanmugam Manjunath Integrity Award in 2008 for his relentless fight against corruption. In 2010, he was awarded the national Right to Information Award by the Public Cause Research Foundation for his role in exposing a Rs 12.5 million scam in Sampoorna Gram Rozgar Yojna in the Golaghat district of Assam.
In the 2016 Assam Assembly elections, the seat was won by Congress veteran Pranab Kumar Gogoi who passed away in 2020. This time Congress has given the ticket to first timer Subhramitra Gogoi.
Sibsagar will see a six-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Sibsagar seat are Surabhi Rajkonwari (BJP) who lost to Pranab Gogoi in 2016 by just 542 votes, Ajit Hazarika (NCP) and two Independent candidates - Rupa Borah and Hemanta Boruah.
Agriculture and Veterinary Minister of Assam Atul Bora is contesting from the Bokakhat seat for the third time. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) President had lost the 2011 Assam Assembly elections from the Bokakhat seat. In the 2016 Assembly elections he defeated the former MLA of Bokakhat, Arun Phukan of the Indian National Congress (INC).
Atul Bora had won the Golaghat constituency on a Congress ticket in 1996.
As many as 12 candidates would be fighting for the Bokakhat seat. Other than Bora, the other candidates are Hemanta Doloi (Independent), Mridul Saikia (Nationalist Congress Party), Dinesh Karmakar (Independent), Simon Tanti (Independent), Reba Kanta Gogoi (Assam Jatiya Parishad), who had lost to Atul Bora in the 2016 Assembly Elections, Pranab Doley (Independent), Dulal Bora (Independent), Jibon Chandra Bora (Independent), Bijoy Kutum (Independent) and Jiten Gogoi (Independent).
Renupoma Rajkhowa of Assam Gana Parishad (AGP), a three-time (1991, 1996, and 2016) MLA from Teok, would be contesting from the Teok constituency for the sixth time. She is the sitting MLA of Teok.
Of the five times she contested from the Teok seat, she won the seat thrice in 1991, 1996, and 2016, and lost twice in 2001 and 2006.
In the 2016 Assam Election, she defeated Pallabi Saikia Gogoi of Congress (INC) by 5049 votes.
The other contestant from INC is Pallabi Gogoi, who lost to Renupoma Rajkhowa in the 2016 Assam Election and stood second with a total of 35879 votes.
Teok will see a five-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Teok seat are Pallabi Saikia Gogoi of Congress (she lost the 2016 elections to Renupoma Rajkhowa by 5049 votes) Rubi Neog (Lok Jan Shakti Party) and two Independent candidates - Kabindra Chetia Phukan and Simanta Kumar Dutta.
Former student leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi who is now the President of the recently launched regional political party Assam Jatiya Parishad is contesting elections for the first time from Duliajan and Naharkatia constituencies.
Gogoi is contesting against another former student leader Terosh Gowalla of BJP who is also the sitting MLA of Duliajan. Gowalla had defeated Amiya Gogoi of Congress to win the Duliajan seat in the 2016 Assam Assembly elections. Gowalla is said to have a stronghold on the tea tribe community of the constituency.
There are four candidates in the fray for the Duliajan seat – Lurinjyoti Gogoi (AJP), Terosh Gowalla (BJP), Dhrubajyoti Gogoi (INC) and Madhab Das of Lok Jan Shakti Party.
The battle is likely to be among Lurinjyoti Gogoi (AJP), Terosh Gowalla (BJP) and Dhrubajyoti Gogoi (INC).
Prithiraj Rava, son of Assam's literary and cultural legend Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha would be contesting from the Tezpur constituency. Tezpur is Prithiraj's home town. The actor-turned politician is a first-time contestant fighting the Assam Assembly election 2021 on an AGP ticket.
Rava has acted in films like 'Firingoti' (1992), 'Srimanta Sankardev' (2010), and 'Ahetuk' (2015).
A total of seven candidates would be contesting for the Tezpur seat. Prithiraj is pitched against Anuj Kumar Mech (INC), Jan Moni Borah (AJP), Nayanmoni Choudhury (SUCI), and three Independent candidates - Alok Nath, Sheikh Mohammad Sadique, and Akash Jyoti Singha.
Assam Minister for Tea Tribe Welfare and Minister of State for Labour Welfare, Sanjoy Kishan is contesting from the Tinsukia seat on a BJP ticket. He is contesting the Assam Assembly elections 2021 for the third time.
He lost the Assam Elections of 2011 to Rajendra Prasad Singh of Congress in 2011 by 11973 votes (he stood second with a total of 29265 votes) He won the 2016 Election by defeating the same person.
As many as 10 candidates are in the fray for the Tinsukia seat. The other contestants from the Tinsukia seat are Shamsher Singh (AJP), Budhi Nath Prajapati (Political Justice Party), Chintu Baruah (Lok Jan Shakti Party), Hira Devi (RJD), Probin Kumar Hazarika (RLSP), Rabin Chandra Kachari (NCP), Swapan Paul (BGP), Alok Roy (JDU), and Subhashish Bhattacharjee (Independent).
The key candidate of the Golaghat Assembly Constituency is four-time MLA Ajanta Neog. She won the Golaghat seat four times (2001, 2006, 2011, 2016) in a row on a Congress ticket but this time she would be contesting on a BJP ticket. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how the voters react. She was the sitting MLA of Golaghat till she resigned from Congress (INC) in 2020 and joined the saffron party. Neog has been the Minister for the Public Works Department (Roads &Building NH), Urban Development and Housing (2006-2011) in Tarun Gogoi Government.
The other two candidates contesting from the Golaghat seat are Rina Saikia of the newly formed party Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Bitupan Saikia of the Indian National Congress (INC).
The tussle between Ajanta Neog and Bitupan Saikia will be quite interesting one as he is contesting on a Congress ticket this time after resigning from BJP and Ajanta Neog on the other hand is contesting on a BJP ticket. Ajanta Neog is known for her developmental work and other social activities. Rina Saikia of AJP is a first-timer and is an advocate by profession.
Ripun Bora, President of Assam Congress and Rajya Sabha MP is contesting from the Gohpur Constituency. He has contested the Assam Assembly elections thrice – 1996, 2001 and 2006. He lost the 1996 elections to Ganesh Kutum of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). He won the 2001 and 2006 elections. He also served as Assam's Education Minister under the Tarun Gogoi-led Government.
In 2016 he became Rajya Sabha MP.
There are 3 other candidates in the fray for the Gohpur seat – Utpal Borah of BJP, Dr. Gopal Phukan of AJP, Sabir Narzary of Voter's Party international (VPI). A straight fight is expected between Ripun Bora and Utpal Borah, the sitting MLA of Gohpur. Borah defeated Monika Bora of Congress in the 2016 Assembly Elections by securing 85,424 votes.
All eyes will be on Bhaskar Jyoti Baruah who would be contesting the Assam Assembly elections 2021 on a Congress ticket from Titabor constituency. Titabor is the seat that three-time Assam Chief Minister and one of Congress party's tallest leader, Tarun Gogoi had won three times in a row. The Titabor seat is considered to be a prestigious seat and holds a lot of importance for the Congress party as the party won this seat 11 times of the 15 Assam Assembly elections. Therefore, first time contestant Bhaskar Jyoti Baruah, a tea-planter and a businessman by profession will be under a lot of performance pressure and attention.
Titabar will see a four-cornered battle. The other contestants include Hemanta Kalita (BJP), Sailendra Kumar Hazarika (AJP), and Dilip Gogoi (Independent).
Hitendranath Goswami, the current Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly is the key candidate from the Jorhat constituency. He is a candidate from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Till 2013, Goswami was with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). In 2014 he joined the BJP.
He has contested the Assam Assembly elections four times (1991, 1996, 2001, 2016). He is contesting the 2021 Assam Assembly elections for the fifth time.
In the 1991 Assam Assembly Elections, Goswami defeated Dina Nath Rajkhowa of Congress (INC).
The other candidates contesting from Jorhat are Rana Goswami of the Indian National Congress (INC), Ranjit Baruah, an Independent candidate and Nirod Changkakoti from Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP).
Rana Goswami of the Congress is a two-time MLA of Jorhat. He had lost to Hitendranath Goswami in the 2016 Assembly Elections.
Ranjit Dutta, Assam Minister of Handloom, Textiles and Sericulture, Welfare of Minorities would be contesting the Assam Assembly elections 2021 from the Behali constituency. He is contesting from the Behali seat for BJP for the fifth time.
He won the Assam Assembly Elections thrice in 2001, 2006, and 2016, and the 2011 Assam Assembly elections.
Behali will see a four-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Behali seat are Anjan Upadhyaya (AJP), Bibek Das (CPI), and Jayanta Borah (Independent).
Naba Kumar Doley, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Panchayat and Rural Development, Cultural Affairs and Minister of State for Environment and Forest, would be contesting from the Dhakuakhana Constituency.
Naba Kumar Doley contested the Assam Assembly elections twice in 2011 and 2016. In 2011 he contested from the Dhkuakhana seat as an AGP candidate. In 2016, he contested from the same seat on a BJP ticket.
The other candidates contesting from Dhakuakhana are Padmalochan Doley of Indian National Congress (INC) who is contesting for the first time in the upcoming elections, Satyajit Regon of AJP is a first timer as well, Jutika Doley of Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) and Lalit Pegu of Voter's Party International (VPI).
Assam Minister for Water Resources and Science & Technology, Keshab Mahanta is among the key candidates in Phase 1 (Mar 27) of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections 2021. He is contesting from the Kaliabor seat as a candidate of AGP for the fourth time.
He won three times in the Assam Elections of 2006, 2011, and 2016. In the 2006 Assam Election, Mahanta defeated Simanchal Digal of INC by 11832 votes, in the 2011 Assam Election, he defeated Tapan Kumar Borah of INC by 9029 votes and in the 2016 Assam Election, he defeated Bindu Ganju of INC by 37990 votes.
Kaliabor will see a four-cornered battle. The other contestants from the Kaliabor seat are Mukul Baruah (AJP), Prasanta Kumar Saikia (INC), and Bhaskar Sarmah (Independent).