Guwahati

Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday expressed confidence in the party's victory in the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election, saying that the party will put up a strong campaign.

Speaking to the reporters, Gogoi said, "We are very confident of putting up a solid campaign, and we are confident of a victory in the forthcoming Nagaon by-election." 

Reacting to reports that AIUDF may announce its president Badruddin Ajmal as its candidate for the bypoll, Gogoi said it showed the strong position of the Congress in the upcoming election.

He said that the BJP had panicked after Congress announced its candidate and claimed that Ajmal was being brought in to support Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

"It just shows how strong the position of Congress is in the forthcoming Nagaon parliamentary by-elections. Earlier, the AIUDF was thinking about another candidate, but after the Congress party announced its official candidate, the AIUDF have done a rethink. BJP has panicked and understood that the Congress has put forward a strong candidate. They have panicked and called upon their trusted political ally, Maulana Ajmal ji, to take the next step to help Himanta Biswa Sarma," he said. 

Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress President Mira Borthakur Goswami also congratulated Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora and alleged that AIUDF fielding Badruddin Ajmal would help split votes.

“We extend our congratulations to our candidate, Sibamoni Bora. We have just received news that Badruddin Ajmal will be contesting from the Nagaon constituency representing the AIUDF. So, what does this mean for the BJP? Badruddin Ajmal has been fielded there specifically to split the vote for the Congress seat...they have already tried using various people to split the vote in this by-election...the people of Nagaon know that this seat was ours, and Sibamoni Bora will win again this time," she said. 

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge approved the candidature of former MLA Sibamoni Bora as the party candidate for the upcoming by-election.

The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi moved to the Assam Assembly.

The by-election for the Nagaon Parliamentary Constituency is scheduled to be held on October 6, with counting of votes set to take place on October 9. The Election Commission of India announced the schedule on September 8 for vacant Assembly constituencies across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, West Bengal, and one Parliamentary constituency in Assam.

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The Commission said that the polling will be held on October 6 and the entire election process will be completed before October 11.