Gaurav Gogoi among 42 candidates in Congress first list for Assam polls

Gaurav Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, figures in the first list of 42 candidates released by the Congress for the Assam Assembly elections on Tuesday (March 3, 2026). Elections to the 126-member House are expected in April.

The list, released by the party’s Central Election Committee, includes a mix of experienced leaders and new faces. The Congress has retained five sitting MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Debabrata Saikia (Nazira constituency), and fielded former State president Ripun Borah from Barchalla. Mr. Borah returned to Congress after spending a few years in the Trinamool Congress.

The party is fielding Mr. Gogoi from the Jorhat Assembly constituency in eastern Assam, where a keen contest between Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is anticipated. The bête noire of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Mr. Gogoi won the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat in 2024.

Mr. Gogoi is an Ahom, a community that has been demanding the Scheduled Tribe status for decades. Eastern Assam has a large number of Ahom voters. As the State Congress president, much of the party’s performance will hinge on his leadership.

“I am grateful to the people of Jorhat Lok Sabha (seat), without whom I would not have reached this position. I am thankful to my late father, Tarun Gogoi, who taught me what it means to be an Assamese and a Congressman. I am also thankful to my family, my mother, sister, wife and two little kids who have endured a lot but always with grace, joy and dignity. To my fellow Congress brothers, sisters, colleagues and elders, the time is now to take Assam in a new and bold direction. Let us dream once again of a #NatunBorAxom. #SamayParivartanor,” he posted on X.

Among those re-nominated is Nandita Das (Boko-Chaygaon), one of five women candidates. The others are former Minister Pranati Phukan from Naharkatiya, Mira Borthakur Goswami from Dispur, Pallabi Saikia Gogoi from Teok, and Suruchi Roy from Ram Krishna Nagar.

Apart from Mr. Saikia and Ms. Das, the list has the names of three sitting MLAs—Nurul Huda from Rupahihat, Abdus Sobhan Ali Sarkar from Gauripur, and Diganta Barman from Barkhetry. Mr. Barman is the son of former Chief Minister Bhumidhar Barman.

Other notable names include former Minister Ajit Singh from Udharbond, former MLA Kartik Sen Sinha from Patharkandi, and Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain’s son Tanzil Hussain from Samaguri.