The Congress party has nominated former BJP leader Jayanta Bora as its candidate for the upcoming by-election in Behali, stirring tensions within the opposition alliance in Assam. Bora's selection comes amid internal disagreements regarding the distribution of seats among the opposition parties.
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Congress names former BJP leader Jayanta Bora as candidate for Behali by-election
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- Jayanta Bora, a former BJP member, is set to contest the Behali seat for Congress.
- The decision has created friction within the opposition alliance, Asom Sonmilito Morcha.
- By-elections for five constituencies, including Behali, will take place on November 13.
In a move that has sparked friction within the opposition alliance in Assam, the Congress has named former BJP leader Jayanta Bora as its candidate for the by-election in Behali, even though he is yet to officially join the party. Bora, who recently resigned from the BJP after being denied a ticket, is expected to formally join the Congress later on Thursday, according to PTI.
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The announcement came in a statement from AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal on Wednesday, which named Bora as the Congress’ official candidate for the Behali constituency. This decision comes at a time when tensions are running high within the opposition alliance, Asom Sonmilito Morcha (ASOM), which comprises 16 parties, over who should contest the Behali seat.
As per the agreement within the ASOM bloc, four of the five seats up for by-election were to be contested by the Congress, with Behali designated for the CPI(ML) Liberation candidate. However, this decision faced opposition from a section of Congress leaders in Biswanath district, who preferred one of their own candidates for the seat. They had proposed either Dilip Kumar Baruah or Premlal Ganju as potential nominees, rejecting the idea of fielding a CPI(ML) Liberation candidate, as reported by PTI.
In response to the internal dissent, a five-member committee within the opposition alliance stood by its decision to nominate a CPI(ML) Liberation candidate for Behali and urged the Congress high command to confirm the decision without delay. Despite the opposition bloc's stance, the Congress leadership went ahead with the selection of Jayanta Bora.
The situation escalated further when Assam Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah resigned as the president of the ASOM bloc on Tuesday night, citing “tremendous pressure” after the party’s high command refused to endorse Bibek Das, the CPI(ML) Liberation nominee, according to PTI. His resignation underscores the growing divide within the alliance over the allocation of the Behali seat.
Several Congress leaders confirmed that party MP Gaurav Gogoi supported the decision to grant the Behali ticket to Jayanta Bora, highlighting the internal differences within the party and the wider alliance. Bora’s nomination has created ripples, as the seat had been the subject of contentious debate within the ASOM bloc.
By-elections are scheduled for November 13 in five constituencies: Dholai (SC), Sidli (ST), Bongaigaon, Behali, and Samaguri. These seats became vacant after their representatives won in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Apart from Jayanta Bora for Behali, the Congress will field Tanzil Hussain from Samaguri, Dhrubajyoti Purakayastha from Dholai, Sanjib Warle from Sidli, and Brajenjit Sinha from Bongaigaon.
Of the five seats up for by-election, four were previously held by the BJP-AGP-UPPL alliance, while one was held by Congress. According to PTI, this by-election will be a significant test for the Congress as it navigates internal divisions and competition within the broader opposition alliance.
(With inputs from PTI)
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