Aman Wadud and Reetam Singh: From social media buzz to Congress snub

The release of the second list of candidates by the Indian National Congress for the upcoming Assam Legislative Assembly election has triggered a fresh round of political chatter within party circles, after two prominent young faces associated with the party's young brigade were denied party tickets.

The omission of Aman Wadud and Reetam Singh, both widely regarded as key members of the party’s emerging young brigade and active strategists behind its digital and research operations, has sparked debate about the Congress’ internal candidate selection process and its stated emphasis on promoting new leadership.

According to the list released on March 14, the party nominated Devid Phukan, Vice President of the Assam Youth Congress, as its candidate for the Tinsukia constituency, while the Chamaria seat was allotted to Rekibuddin Ahmed, a three-time MLA from Chaygaon.

The decision effectively ruled out Reetam Singh, who had been preparing to contest from Tinsukia, and Aman Wadud, who had been politically active in his home constituency of Chamaria.

Both leaders had been serving as spokespersons and key social media coordinators for the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), playing a significant role in shaping the party’s communication strategy ahead of the elections. Their work reportedly included research inputs, policy messaging and digital outreach aimed at countering the ruling government’s narrative.

Reetam Singh, a practicing advocate at the Gauhati High Court, has been associated with the Congress since 2016 after returning to India from the United Kingdom a year earlier. Over the years, he held multiple organisational responsibilities within the party’s student and youth wings, including serving as national legal chairman and media coordinator of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).

Reetam was also part of Assam War Room in 2024 Lok Sabha Election, while being attached to Congress High Command  and later handled electoral responsibilities in constituencies such as Jorhat, Dhubri and Karimganj.

Singh had contributed extensively to legal research and strategic inputs for Congress spokespersons. Prior to his political engagements, he had served as a law clerk to former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, assisting in several landmark legal matters.

The Congress leadership, including senior leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, have consistently highlighted the need to bring forward younger leaders capable of raising contemporary issues and representing a new generation of political leadership. The duo, Reetam and Wadud, represented the young faces of Congress.

Similarly, Aman Wadud, also a practicing advocate at the Gauhati High Court, has built his profile through legal activism and political communication. A law graduate from MS Ramaiah College in Bengaluru, Wadud earlier worked with noted social activist Harsh Mander and the Human Rights Law Network before becoming actively involved with the Congress. He joined Congress in 2023. Wadud has been known among the political circles as one of the most vocal critic against the ruling government's demolition and eviction drives.

His political engagement deepened during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he interacted closely with Rahul Gandhi. Subsequently, Wadud was inducted into the party’s communication structure as a spokesperson and became known for his vocal criticism of the state government on policy issues.

Within the APCC’s communication framework, Singh and Wadud were considered instrumental in managing the party’s digital operations, particularly after former social media chairman Prafulla Das exited the organisation and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in late 2025. The duo played a critical role in stabilising the Congress’ online outreach during a politically challenging period.

For years, the Congress has emphasised the need to bring forward educated, articulate and issue-based leaders who can connect with younger voters. For Wadud and Singh, the denial of tickets does not necessarily mark the end of their political journeys. Both remain active within the party’s organisational framework and continue to play roles in its communication strategy.