Guwahati: Bypolls in five assembly constituencies of Assam emerged as a significant setback for the opposition parties, which failed to secure any victory.
Congress's autonomous approach proved detrimental as the grand old party lacked direct support from other opposition parties united under the banner Asom Sanmilita Morcha (ASOM). Of the five constituencies, BJP secured victories in three — Samaguri, Behali, and Dholai, while its allies AGP and UPPL triumphed in Bongaigaon and Sidli.
Five-time MLA from Samaguri Rakibul Hussain's son, Tanzil, was defeated by BJP's state general secretary Diplu Ranjan Sarmah by a substantial margin. Tanzil endeavoured to represent Samaguri as the third politician from their family, after father Rakibul and grandfather Nurul Hussain. Rakibul served as a prominent cabinet minister in the Tarun Gogoi-govt and secured successive assembly polls from Samaguri since 2001. Nurul Hussain contested from Congress (S) ticket in the 1983 election and joined Congress (I) after winning. He subsequently prevailed as Congress candidate in the 1991 assembly polls and became a state minister in the Hiteswar Saikia-govt.
Deputy leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi's preferred candidate Jayanta Borah had to bite the dust in the Behali seat to BJP's Diganta Ghatowal. Congress remained unwilling to relinquish Behali for CPI-ML despite ASOM's recommendation, ultimately causing opposition disunity. Jayanta Borah, a BJP defector, procured Congress ticket even before formally joining the party.
In the remaining constituencies, Congress leaders demonstrated comparatively diminished enthusiasm. ASOM leaders campaigned for CPI-ML candidate Lakhikanta Kurmi in Behali, while advocating for a "conscience vote" elsewhere. After poll results, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Kumar Borah pledged door-to-door visits, emphasising unified opposition as crucial for challenging BJP in the 2026 assembly elections.
ASOM president and MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan and general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi expressed disappointment regarding Congress's failure to recognise opposition unity's importance, while affirming ASOM's commitment to unified political resistance against BJP.
Akhil Gogoi, MLA and Raijor Dal leader, criticised both Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding the Jharkhand defeat and Congress's perceived "big brother" attitude. Gogoi challenged Sarma's "unstoppable" narrative, citing Jharkhand results. He endorsed Jharkhand's opposition model, contrasting it with Assam's fragmented opposition. Gogoi faulted Gaurav Gogoi for undermining opposition unity by denying Congress allies constituencies, particularly regarding CPI-ML in Behali.