Assam Congress MLA Blames Rakibul Hussain's Hubris for Samaguri By-Election Loss
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Guwahati, Dec 2 (NationPress) Assam Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha asserted on Monday that the party's candidate was defeated in the Samaguri by-election due to the hubris displayed by Dhubri Lok Sabha member Rakibul Hussain.
Purkayastha, who was elected on a Congress ticket during the last Assembly elections, expressed support for the BJP government earlier this year, but has not officially joined the ruling party and continues to sit in the opposition.
He mentioned to IANS, “I have known Rakibul Hussain for many years. His arrogance has escalated significantly in recent times. Constituents who approached him were often disregarded. It is this arrogance that led to the Congress party losing the election in Samaguri this time.”
Purkayastha emphasized that there was considerable resentment among the populace towards Hussain in Samaguri. “Voters were extremely dissatisfied with the conduct of the Congress MP and were determined to hold him accountable,” he further noted.
Five Assembly seats in Assam - Dholai, Behali, Samaguri, Bongaigaon, and Sidli - underwent by-elections as the legislators from these constituencies were elected to the Lok Sabha during the general elections this year.
With the exception of Samaguri, the other four constituencies were won by the BJP and its allies - Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).
The Congress party failed to secure any seats in the by-elections, despite competing in all five constituencies. The opposition party lost its stronghold in the Samaguri Assembly constituency, as Congress heavyweight and Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain’s son Tanzil Hussain was defeated by BJP’s Diplu Ranjan Sarmah.
Rakibul Hussain has represented Samaguri in the Assembly since 2001, having vacated the seat after winning the Lok Sabha elections this year.
The Congress MP has accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of employing administrative resources to manipulate the voting process in the Samaguri Assembly seat.
He stated, “We did not lose in Samaguri. It was CM Sarma who leveraged the voting apparatus to seize booths and orchestrate widespread rigging in various locations. Nevertheless, the Congress candidate was leading in several areas within the Samaguri Assembly constituency by a significant margin.”
Hussain added that Chief Minister Sarma now aims to secure a portion of minority votes in upcoming elections, suggesting that this trend could contribute to the BJP’s downfall in the 2026 Assembly elections. “I recall when the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) sought Muslim votes, neglecting their traditional base. This resulted in their removal from power in the elections,” he remarked.
