Guwahati, Nov 23: The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has delivered a decisive blow to the opposition in Assam, sweeping all five assembly seats in the November 13 by-elections. The Congress and its allies were left empty-handed, marking a seismic shift in the state’s political landscape.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clinched three seats, while allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) secured one seat each. The most remarkable victory came in Samaguri, a Congress stronghold since 2001, where BJP’s Diplu Ranjan Sarma unseated veteran Congress leader Rakibul Hussain’s influence. Sarma defeated Congress candidate Tanzil Hussain by a staggering margin of 24,423 votes, garnering 81,160 votes compared to Hussain’s 56,737. This historic win signals the BJP’s growing foothold in regions long dominated by its rivals.
In Behali, BJP candidate Diganta Ghatowar defeated Congress’s Jayanta Borah by 9,051 votes, while in Dholai, BJP’s Nihar Ranjan Das secured a victory margin of 9,098 votes over Congress’s Dhrubajyoti Purakayastha.
The NDA allies also delivered resounding wins. In Bongaigaon, AGP candidate Diptimayee Choudhury won by a landslide of 35,164 votes, defeating Congress rival Brajenjit Singha. Similarly, in Sidli, UPPL candidate Nirmal Kumar Brahma triumphed with a commanding 37,016-vote margin over BPF’s Sudha Kumar Basumatary.
Taking to the X, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the NDA’s 5/5 victory in the current by-elections is a resounding testament to Assam’s unwavering support for Adarniya @narendramodi Ji’s vision of good governance and development.
“A special mention for Samaguri, a constituency with a 65% minority population, held by Congress for 25 years, now won by the BJP. This historic victory reaffirms people’s trust in our welfare agenda and their firm rejection of the Opposition’s divisive politics” he said.
The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal has credited the tremendous performance by BBJP-led NDA in both Maharashtra and Assam as a result of PM Narendra Modi’s brand of good governance.
Speaking on the occasion, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the transformative policies have won the hearts of the people across the country. The results of today’s assembly elections in Maharashtra and by-polls in Assam are a clear reflection of the people’s trust and confidence in the leadership of Modi ji and the NDA government. His people-centric policies have brought about unprecedented change in the lives of all citizens of India.”
Sonowal also expressed gratitude to the people for their overwhelming support in the constituencies of Bihali, Chamguri, Dholai, Bongaigaon, and Sidli, where NDA candidates—Diganta Ghatowal, Diplu Ranjan Sharma, Nihar Ranjan Das, Deeptimoyee Chowdhury, and Nirmal Kumar Brahma—secured victory. The senior BJP leader Sarbananda Sonowal extended his heartfelt congratulations to the winning candidates and thanked the voters for their trust in the BJP.
Sonowal emphasised that the newly elected candidates would swiftly continue the development agenda in their respective constituencies and work towards winning the hearts of the people. Sonowal extended his best wishes to all the elected representatives for their future endeavours.
On the other hand, 3-term MP, and Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi took full responsibility for the defeat of the Congress party in Behali.
“Despite having no MLAs or ground support in the region, we have significantly increased the Congress vote share in a traditional BJP seat. We have reduced the difference between BJP and Congress by more than half. This despite the entire BJP cabinet, MLAs and Chief of Autonomous Councils camping there for 3 weeks” Gogoi said on X.
“There is momentum for the party to grow further in North Assam, and that will continue to be my focus. I extend my gratitude to every worker and supporter who stood with us. I am grateful to the people of Behali for their love and support” Gogoi added.
The results underscore the BJP-led NDA’s tightening grip on Assam’s political narrative, with voters expressing strong confidence in the alliance. For the Congress and its allies, this drubbing is a wake-up call, demanding urgent introspection and strategic recalibration to reclaim relevance in the state’s shifting political terrain.