The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released its first list of 88 candidates for the Assam Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for April 9, 2026. The list was published after it was cleared by the party’s Central Election Committee in New Delhi. The candidate list shows a major shake-up in the party, as several existing MLAs have been dropped, who have been replaced by new names, including some who joined the party recently.
The selections reflect a mix of continuity, fresh faces, and strategic inductions, particularly from the opposition. As expected, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been fielded again from Jalukbari. Other senior ministers like Pijush Hazarika, Pallab Lochan Das, Ashok Singhal, Ranoj Pegu, Ajanta Neog and others will contest from their existing constituencies.
However, several senior MLAs have been dropped, and several high-profile leaders who recently joined the BJP from Congress have been given tickets. These include former Congress MP and two-time cabinet minister Pradyut Bordoloi from Dispur, ex-Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah from Bihpuria, and suspended Congress MLAs Sashi Kanta Das from Raha (SC) and Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha from Katigorah. Pradyut Bordoloi joined BJP yesterday after quitting Congress and resigning from Lok Sabha. Other ex-Congress leaders had joined BJP in last few months.
সমাগত বিধানসভা নিৰ্বাচন-২০২৬ৰ বাবে ভাৰতীয় জনতা পাৰ্টিৰ পৰা মনোনীত আটাকেইগৰাকী সন্মানীয় প্ৰাৰ্থীলৈ অভিনন্দন আৰু শুভেচ্ছা জ্ঞাপন কৰিছোঁ। pic.twitter.com/93wawBGuCn
— BJP Assam Pradesh (@BJP4Assam) March 19, 2026
Among those denied tickets are Siddharth Bhattacharya from New Guwahati, the former state BJP president, veteran politician Atul Bora from Dispur, Amiya Kumar Bhuyan from Bihpuria, two-time MLA Pramod Borah Thakur from Biswanath, Hemang Thakuria from Palasbari, Assembly Deputy Speaker Dr. Nomol Momin from Bokajan, and cabinet minister Nandita Garlosa from Haflong (ST).
Notably, current Dispur MLA Atul Bora is different from alliance partner AGP chief Atul Bora, who represents Bokakhat. Both started with AASU and were founder members of AGP, but senior Atul Bora later joined BJP. He has represented capital Dispur for five times, but this time his seat has been given to Pradyut Bordoloi.
Other BJP MLAs denied tickets include Dipayan Chakraborty from Silchar, Sumon Haripriya from Hajo, Bidyashree Ingale from Diphu, Diganta Ghatowal from Bihali, Ramkrishna Ghosh from Hojai, former AIUDF MLA Fani Dhar Talukdar from Bhabanipur, Dorsing Rongphar from Howraghat, Rupshing Teron from Baithalangso, Mihir Kanti Soma from Udarbond, and Nihar Ranjan Das from Dhalai. Some of the MLAs had to be dropped because their constituencies were abolished or underwent significant changes after the delimitation exercise.
BJP is contesting in 89 seats, as the party has left 26 seats for AGP and 11 seats for BPF, out of the total 126 seats. However, the party announced names for 88 seats. The party has withheld the candidate for Sisibargaon after Arunima Baruah, wife of MP Pradan Baruah, had been decided for the seat. However, after the media pointed out that this amounts to hypocrisy of the party as it continues to attack Congress over nepotism, the party didn’t announce any name for the seat. As per journalist Atanu Bhuyan, Arunima Baruah’s candidacy has been cancelled and a new candidate will be announced.
Out of the 88 names, there are only 6 women in the list of candidates announced by BJP for Assam. No Muslim candidate has been fielded by the party. However, its ally AGP has given tickets to some Muslim candidates.
