Guwahati, March 20: Party-switching has emerged as a defining feature of the BJP’s candidate list for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, with a significant chunk of its nominees drawn from rival parties.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has announced candidates for 88 constituencies, has fielded at least 30 leaders—around 35% of its nominees—who were previously with the Congress, AGP, or smaller regional and tribal parties.
Among them, former Congress leaders form the largest group. Around 19 candidates in the BJP list are Congress turncoats.
High-profile names include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with senior leaders Jayanta Malla Baruah, Pijush Hazarika, Ajanta Neog, Rupjyoti Kurmi, Bhupen Borah and Pradyut Bordoloi—many of whom crossed over in the run-up to and after 2016.
“While the BJP has built a strong organisational base in Assam, a large section of its leadership has Congress roots, especially following the political realignment triggered by Himanta Biswa Sarma’s switch,” a political observer said.
The BJP’s ally, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which has announced 26 candidates, is also facing scrutiny over its selections.
Political analyst Rupak Bhattacharjee pointed out that 13 of AGP’s 26 candidates are Bengali-origin Muslims.
“AGP was born out of the Assam Agitation with a strong Assamese regionalist identity. This candidate mix indicates a shift in its political strategy,” he said.
With both alliance partners recalibrating their candidate choices, the lists offer an early glimpse into the evolving electoral dynamics ahead of the Assam polls.
