BJP appoints Amiya Kumar Bhuyan as Assam unit vice president amid Bihpuria ticket row

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appointed senior leader and sitting MLA Amiya Kumar Bhuyan as the State Vice President of its Assam unit with immediate effect, even as internal tensions surface over candidate selection in key constituencies.

The appointment was formally announced by Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia, who extended his best wishes to Bhuyan for a “bright political future.” The move comes at a politically sensitive moment, as the party navigates dissent and realignments ahead of the high-stakes polls.

The development gains added significance in the backdrop of BJP fielding Bhupen Kumar Borah—a former president of the Indian National Congress in Assam, from the Bihpuria constituency. Borah, who recently defected to the BJP, has been given the party ticket for the seat, signalling a strategic recalibration by the ruling party to consolidate its electoral prospects.

However, the decision has triggered discontent within party ranks. Sitting MLA Amiya Kumar Bhuyan, who was denied renomination from Bihpuria, had earlier expressed his dissatisfaction and announced his resignation from the BJP. In a sharp response, Bhuyan declared that he would contest the upcoming Assembly elections as an Independent candidate.

“I will file my nomination papers on Monday and contest as an Independent,” Bhuyan told reporters, underlining his resolve to stay in the electoral fray despite the setback. He also appealed to his supporters to continue backing him, asserting that his commitment to the people of Bihpuria remains unwavering, irrespective of party affiliation.

The BJP’s twin decisions, elevating Bhuyan to a key organisational post while simultaneously replacing him as the party’s candidate, underscore the complex political balancing act within the party. The induction and immediate candidature of Bhupen Kumar Borah, a prominent Congress face until recently, further reflects the rapidly shifting political equations in Assam.