The Congress in Assam is likely to leave one seat for the AJP (Assam Jatiya Parishad) for the upcoming Assembly by-polls in the state.
A high-level meeting between Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah and AJP president Lurin Jyoti Gogoi took place on Thursday.
“The Congress is willing to leave one seat to the AJP as per their request to put up common candidates in the by-polls in Assam. Though not final, we are ready to leave the Majuli seat to them,” a senior Assam Congress leader was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Notably, although Majuli seat is also vacant, by-polls to the seat will not be held on October 30, as union minister Sarbananda Sonowal had resigned as Majuli MLA after the election commission announce dates for by-polls in the state.
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“The APCC is ready to vacate Mariani if Lurinjyoti Gogoi himself contests from there. If he is not willing, we will give Majuli to them. Both the parties have mutually agreed on this,” the Congress leader said.
Meanwhile, opposition party in Assam – the Raijor Dal – has announced that it will contest in two out of the five Assembly seats that go to by-polls on October 30.
“Dhaijya Konwar will be Raijor Dal’s candidate for Thowra. We will announce our candidate for Mariani soon,” Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi said.
Notably, Congress had won both the seats of Thowra and Mariani in the Assembly elections held earlier this year. But both the MLAs has quit the party and stepped down as MLA.
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Akhil Gogoi has further appealed the Congress in Assam to ‘support’ the candidates announced by Raijor Dal in a bid to defeat “common enemy” – the BJP.
“If the Congress supports our candidates, we will also support their candidates in the seats that they are contesting,” Akhil Gogoi said.
By-polls to the seats of Thowra, Mariani, Bhabanipur, Tamulpur and Gossaigaon will be held on October 30.