All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal on Monday declared full confidence that his party will win the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha bye-election in Assam, asserting that both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress will suffer defeat in the contest. Speaking at Hojai, Ajmal positioned the AIUDF's campaign around a platform of ‘humanity’, drawing a sharp contrast with what he described as the BJP’s communally skewed appeal and the Congress’ failure to address the concerns of any community.

Ajmal’s Campaign Pitch

“The BJP talks about Hindus, while the Congress does not talk about the concerns of either Hindus or Muslims. We talk about humanity, so we are fully confident that we will win, and the other two parties will lose,” Ajmal said at the Hojai event. The AIUDF chief is scheduled to file his nomination papers for the Nagaon bypoll at 10 am on Tuesday, a day after making the remarks. His candidature was announced just ahead of the deadline for filing nominations, signalling a late but deliberate entry into the race.

Why Nagaon Seat Fell Vacant

The bypoll was triggered after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat and subsequently joined the BJP, contesting the Dispur Assembly constituency. Notably, the Nagaon seat was won by the Congress in both the 2019 and 2024 general elections, making its vacancy an unusual political development in a seat the party had held consecutively. The bye-election therefore carries significance beyond the normal cycle.

The Three-Cornered Contest

The BJP has fielded former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and former Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Devasish Sharma, while the Congress has nominated former Batadroba MLA Sibamoni Bora. Ajmal’s entry transforms what might have been a straightforward BJP-Congress contest into a three-cornered fight. Nagaon has a substantial mix of communities and has historically witnessed competitive politics among the BJP, Congress, and minority-focused political forces, making it one of central Assam’s most closely watched constituencies.

AIUDF’s Political Stakes

Ajmal, who founded the AIUDF and currently represents Binnakandi in the Assam state assembly, has consistently sought to project the party as a cross-community political force rather than a narrowly sectarian one. The Nagaon bypoll represents a significant electoral test for the AIUDF’s relevance in central Assam, particularly as the BJP consolidates its organisational footprint across the state. With all three major parties fielding prominent candidates, campaigning is expected to intensify over the coming days.

What Comes Next

With nominations closing and campaigning gathering pace, the Nagaon bypoll will serve as a barometer of political alignments in one of Assam’s most competitive Lok Sabha seats. The outcome could reshape the AIUDF’s bargaining position in state politics ahead of the next assembly election cycle.