Congress announces candidates for Bokajan and Diphu for 2nd phase of elections

GUWAHATI: The Congress party on Thursday declared the list of two more candidates for the 2nd phase of elections to the Legislative Assembly of Assam.

As per the list Ratan Engti will contest from Bokajan while Sum Ronghang will contest from Diphu- both the seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes.

Earlier, the party released a list of 26 candidates for the second phase.

It needs to be mentioned here both the candidates were former BJP members.

Ratan Engti was former executive member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). He was also the BJP media convenor (election management), 3 Diphu Autonomous District (ST) Parliamentary Constituency. He later joined Congress in 2019.

Meanwhile, Sum Ronghang who was a cabinet minister in the BJP government recently quit the party after being denied party ticket. The hill areas development and mines and minerals minister joined the Congress in presence of AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh and the party's state unit chief Ripun Bora.

Earlier, Ronghang was hopeful to get a ticket from the Congress party and expressed his willingness to contest from the Diphu Constituency.

The election to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held in three phases from April 6 as the state Assembly tenure comes to an end on May 31, 2021. The first phase of election for 47 seats will be held on March 27, second phase for 39 seats on April 1 and third phase for 40 seats on April 6. Till date the party has released a total of 68 candidates for the ensuing elections.

Some of the major candidates the party has announced includes- the Leader of Opposition, Debabrata Saikia will contest from Nazira, Rakibul Hussain will contest from Samuguri, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee APCC President Ripun Bora will fight for Gohpur seat and Angkita Dutta, daughter of former Assan Congress President Anjan Dutta, has won party ticket from Amguri.

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