Congress Releases First List Ahead of 2026 Assam Elections—Gaurav Gogoi Named as Assembly Candidate for First Time

Key Points

The Indian National Congress on 3 March 2026 released its first list of 42 candidates for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, naming senior party leader and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi as its candidate from the Jorhat constituency. This will mark Gogoi’s first time contesting State Elections.

The list, cleared by the party’s Central Election Committee, includes a mix of experienced leaders, sitting legislators and new entrants as the party prepares for elections to the 126 member Assam Legislative Assembly expected in April 2026.

Gogoi, who is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), will contest from Jorhat in eastern Assam. The constituency is expected to witness a keen contest between the Congress and the ruling BJP.

Gogoi, a three-time MP from Jorhat, will be contesting an Assembly election for the first time. His candidature signals the party’s strategy of projecting him as a key leader in the State campaign. As APCC president, much of the Congress’s electoral performance in the State is expected to hinge on his leadership.

Reacting to the announcement, Gogoi expressed gratitude to party leaders and voters. In a post on X, he wrote, “I am grateful to the people of Jorhat Lok Sabha (seat), without whom I would not have reached this position.” He also thanked his late father, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, “who taught me what it means to be an Assamese and a Congressman.” He also thanked his family – “my mother, sister, wife and two little kids who have endured a lot but always with grace, joy and dignity.”

See Also: “It is My Job to Make the Miya People Suffer” and “SIT Confirms Gaurav Gogoi’s Pakistan Links”: With Assam Elections Imminent, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Targets Minorities and Opposition

INC's First Candidate List for 2026 Assam Assembly Election

The first list also includes several prominent leaders and sitting legislators. Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia has been re-nominated from the Nazira constituency, which he has represented since 2011. Saikia is the son of former Assam Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia.

Five sitting MLAs have been retained in the initial list. Besides Saikia, these include Nandita Das from Boko Chaygaon, Nurul Huda from Rupahihat, Abdus Sobhan Ali Sarkar from Gauripur and Diganta Barman from Barkhetry. Barman is the son of another former Chief Minister, Bhumidhar Barman.

Former State Congress president Ripun Borah has also been fielded from the Barchalla constituency. Borah had earlier left the Congress to join TMC before returning to the party.

The list includes several candidates linked to prominent political families. Tanzil Hussain, the son of Dhubri Member of Parliament Rakibul Hussain, will contest from Samaguri. Prateek Bordoloi, son of Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi, has been nominated from Margherita, while Pranjal Ghatowar, son of former Union minister and five-time MP Paban Singh Ghatowar, will contest from Chabua Lahowal.

Veteran leaders also feature in the list. Former minister Pranati Phukan has been nominated from Naharkatiya, while former minister Ajit Singh will contest from Udharbond. Former MLA Kartik Sen Sinha has been fielded from Patharkandi.

The party has also named five women candidates in the first list. These include Nandita Das, Pranati Phukan, Mira Borthakur Goswami from Dispur, Pallabi Saikia Gogoi from Teok and Suruchi Roy from Ram Krishna Nagar.

See Also: Muslim Voters in Assam Face Mass Deletions Ahead of 2026 Assembly Elections—Opposition Cries Foul as CM Himanta Sarma Continues Targeting ‘Miya’ Community

What Does the List Say About INC's Strategy in Assam

According to The Assam Tribune, the selection reflects the party’s effort to present a mix of communities and leadership backgrounds as it seeks to project a “secular and inclusive” image in the State.

The announcement also sets the stage for several closely watched contests. In Dispur, which includes the State capital complex, the Congress has fielded Mira Borthakur Goswami. In Bihpuria, the party has nominated Narayan Bhuyan in what could become a high-profile contest if the BJP fields former Congress leader Bhupen Bora.

The elections will be a crucial test for the Congress in Assam, where the BJP has been in power since 2016. The BJP first formed the government under Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and retained power in 2021 under the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The Congress, which ruled the State for three consecutive terms under Tarun Gogoi until 2016, is seeking to regain ground against the BJP. Gogoi’s candidature from Jorhat, a constituency with a significant Ahom voter base, is being seen as part of the party’s broader strategy to strengthen its position in eastern Assam.

Alliance negotiations are also ongoing ahead of the polls. Reports indicate that seat sharing discussions between the Congress and potential ally Raijor Dal are continuing, with disagreements over at least one constituency yet to be resolved.

“Raijor Dal has strong candidates for the Barchalla and Demow seats. Most importantly, in 2021 by-election we got much more votes than Congress in Demow,” Raijor Dal spokesperson Rasel Hussain told The Times of India. “Our party workers were highly enthusiastic this time. So this first list of Congress is a major disappointment for our party.”

The Congress is expected to release additional lists in the coming days as it finalises candidates for the remaining constituencies in the 126-member Assembly. The BJP is yet to announce its candidates.

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