‘If Rakibul Hussain says anything against Debashish Sharma, 10,000 minority votes will shift to BJP’: Dilip Saikia

Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia on September 23 claimed that remarks by Congress MP Rakibul Hussain against BJP's Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll candidate Debashish Sharma could work in the BJP's favour, alleging that around 10,000 votes from the minority community could shift towards the party.

Saikia made the remarks while addressing a BJP workers' convention at Juria in Nagaon's Rupohihat as the party stepped up its campaign ahead of the October 6 Lok Sabha bypoll.

“Whenever Rakibul Hussain says something against BJP candidate Debashish Sharma, around 10,000 votes from the minority community automatically move towards the BJP,” Saikia said.

The BJP state president was addressing around 500 party workers who had gathered from different organisational Mandals in Rupohihat for an interaction and strategy meeting in support of Sharma.

The meeting focused on the party's campaign strategy and preparations for the upcoming bypoll. BJP leaders at the gathering also expressed confidence about securing support on the basis of the state government's development initiatives.

The meeting was attended by Barhampur MLA Jitu Goswami, Nagaon district BJP president Subarna Singh, BJP leader Suresh Bora and several district-level office-bearers and party workers.

The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi won the Dispur Assembly seat in the 2026 state elections. The BJP has fielded former Nagaon District Commissioner Debashish Sharma, who took voluntary retirement from the IAS on September 3 and joined the BJP five days later.

Congress has fielded former Batadroba MLA Sibamoni Bora, while AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal is also contesting the bypoll.

Saikia's remarks come amid an increasingly active campaign in Nagaon, with major parties mobilising their organisational networks across the constituency ahead of polling.