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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today released its first list of 88 candidates for the April 2026 Assam Assembly elections, dropping 15 sitting MLAs. The list includes the removal of a Cabinet Minister and a Deputy Speaker, as the party brings in new faces, women candidates in tribal seats, and leaders who recently joined from the Congress.
The decision was approved by the Central Election Committee led by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The move clearly shows that the party wants to counter anti-incumbency and refresh its leadership.
One of the biggest changes is in Dispur, where Atul Bora has been dropped. He has been replaced by Pradyut Bordoloi, the sitting Congress MP from Nagaon, who joined the BJP just 48 hours earlier. Bordoloi, a long-time Congress leader, is seen as a strong face in central Assam. His son Prateek’s withdrawal from the Margherita Congress ticket has also created political reactions.
In New Guwahati, former Assam BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharjee has not been given a ticket. Instead, the party has chosen Diplom Ranjan Sarmah. In Palasbari, Hemanga Thakuria has been replaced by Himanshu Shekhar Baishya.
In Bihpuria, sitting MLA Amiya Kumar Bhuyan has been replaced by Bhupen Kumar Borah, the former Assam Congress president who left the party in February after 32 years, citing internal issues. Borah had earlier won from the same seat twice between 2006 and 2016.
Several changes have also been made in hill districts. Cabinet Minister Nandita Gorlosa (Haflong ST) has been replaced by Rupali Langthasa. In Diphu (ST), Bidya Sing Engleng has been replaced by Niso Terangpi, one of the new women candidates. Deputy Speaker Dr Numal Momin (Bokajan ST) has been replaced by Surjya Rongphar, while Darsing (Howraghat ST) has been replaced by Lunsing Teron.
In Lower Assam and Barak Valley, Pramod Borthakur (Biswanath) has been replaced by Pallab Lochan Das, Ganesh Limbu (Barchalla) by Ritu Baran Sarmah, Diganta Ghatowal (Behali SC) by Munindra Das, Ramkrishna Ghosh (Hojai) by Shiladitya Dev, Ajay Roy (Bijni) by Arup Kumar Dey, Dipayan Chakraborty (Silchar) by former MP Dr Rajdeep Roy, and Mihirkanti Som (Udharbond) by Rajdeep Goala.
However, the BJP has retained several key leaders in Upper Assam. Suren Phukan will contest from Digboi, Pulok Gohain from Tinsukia, while Sanjay Kishan has been shifted to Makum. Prasanta Phukan will contest from Dibrugarh, and Hitendra Nath Goswami from Jorhat, where he is expected to face Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will contest again from Jalukbari.
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