‘BJP has panicked’: Gaurav Gogoi on AIUDF’s Nagaon bypoll move

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday, September 15 expressed confidence that the party would mount a strong campaign and win the forthcoming Nagaon parliamentary by-election, while accusing the BJP and AIUDF of responding to the Congress's candidate selection with "panic".

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Gogoi said the Congress was confident of its electoral prospects in the Nagaon bypoll.

"We are very confident of putting up a solid campaign, and we are confident of a victory in the forthcoming Nagaon by-election," Gogoi said.

His remarks came amid reports that the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) is likely to field its president Badruddin Ajmal as its candidate for the Nagaon seat.

Reacting to the possibility of Ajmal contesting the bypoll, Gogoi claimed that the AIUDF had reconsidered its earlier plan after the Congress announced its candidate.

"It just shows how strong the position of Congress is in the forthcoming Nagaon parliamentary by-elections. Earlier, the AIUDF was thinking about another candidate, but after the Congress party announced its official candidate, the AIUDF have done a rethink," he said.

Gogoi also alleged that the BJP had "panicked" after the Congress fielded what he described as a strong candidate and suggested that Ajmal's possible candidature would benefit Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

"BJP has panicked and understood that the Congress has put forward a strong candidate. They have panicked and called upon their trusted political ally. Maulana Ajmal ji is taking the next step to help Himanta Biswa Sarma," Gogoi said.

The Nagaon bypoll is expected to witness a closely contested electoral battle, with the Congress, BJP and AIUDF emerging as key players in the contest.

The Congress has sought to project the by-election as a test of its electoral strength in the constituency, while Gogoi's latest remarks indicate that the party is preparing for an aggressive campaign ahead of polling.