Guwahati, 02 March (HS): Both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress have intensified preparations for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, with the Congress indicating that its first list of candidates is in the final stage. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has hinted that the party may announce its initial list after the Rajya Sabha elections.

According to party sources, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi is likely to contest again from the Jorhat constituency. Speaking to reporters during the ongoing ‘Samay Paribartan’ Yatra in Upper Assam, he stated that the Congress is fully prepared for the elections and plans to contest around 100 seats, leaving the remaining constituencies for alliance partners.

A senior state Congress spokesperson informed that an important meeting of the party’s screening committee will be held in New Delhi on March 7. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has constituted the screening committee under the chairmanship of Priyanka Gandhi. The final candidate panels for Assam have already been submitted from Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati for discussion at the Delhi meeting.

Top leaders, including Gaurav Gogoi, MP Pradyut Bordoloi, former MP Ripun Bora and MP Rakibul Hussain, are expected to attend the meeting, where the panel of candidates for Assam will be discussed and finalized.

Notably, the Congress has already agreed to leave Sadiya, Khowang, Dibrugarh, Mahmara, Dhemaji and Sarupathar constituencies for its ally Assam Jatiya Parishad. The party has also decided to leave Sibsagar, Digboi, Sadiya, Mariani, Bokakhat and Tezpur constituencies for the Raijor Dal led by MLA Akhil Gogoi. Additionally, the party is considering leaving the Bihali constituency for CPI (ML). Barring these seats, the Congress is in the process of finalizing candidates for the remaining constituencies.----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash