Congress' Rakibul Hussain Alleges Election Fraud in Samaguri Bypoll
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Guwahati, Nov 30 (NationPress) Dhubri Congress MP Rakibul Hussain on Saturday accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of employing the administrative machinery for vote-rigging in the Samaguri Assembly by-election.
Speaking to reporters, Hussain stated: "We have not lost in Samaguri. CM Sarma manipulated the administrative machinery to seize booths and executed widespread rigging in various areas."
He further remarked: "Chief Minister Sarma aims to secure a segment of religious minority votes for the 2026 Assembly elections, and this inclination could ultimately spell defeat for the BJP."
Hussain reminisced about a past instance when the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) targeted Muslim voters while neglecting their traditional support base, leading to their electoral downfall.
Five Assembly seats in Assam – Dholai, Behali, Samaguri, Bongaigaon, and Sidli underwent by-elections following the election of legislators from these constituencies to the Lok Sabha during this year's general elections.
Other than Samaguri, the BJP and its allies – AGP and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) – previously held the remaining four constituencies.
The BJP successfully retained two of these constituencies – Dholai and Behali, with Nihar Ranjan Das and Diganta Ghatowal winning comfortably. However, the ruling party made inroads into Congress territory by winning Samaguri through Diplu Ranjan Sarmah.
The AGP also secured the Bongaigaon seat by a margin of 35,164 votes, with Diptimayee Choudhury emerging victorious on the AGP ticket. Her husband, now a Lok Sabha MP from Barpeta, Phanibhusan Choudhury, was previously a six-time MLA for Bongaigaon.
Moreover, the BJP ally, UPPL, triumphed in the Sidli Assembly constituency by defeating the closest candidate with a difference of 37,016 votes.
Despite contesting all five seats in the by-elections, Congress failed to win any, losing its stronghold in the Samaguri Assembly constituency, where Rakibul Hussain's son, Tanzil Hussain, conceded defeat to BJP's Diplu Ranjan Sarmah.
Rakibul Hussain has represented Samaguri in the Assembly since 2001, vacating the seat after winning a Lok Sabha election this year.
