Nagaon bypoll: Gaurav Gogoi urges voters to reject BJP's communal politics on October 6
Synopsis
Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi took his communal-politics attack to Nagaon's Dhing locality, invoking the birthplace of saint Srimanta Sankardeva to frame his message. With 25 candidates in the fray and the BJP, AIUDF and Congress all battling for the seat vacated by Pradyut Bordoloi, the 6 October bypoll is shaping up as a significant test of voter sentiment in Assam.
Key Takeaways
Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi addressed a campaign rally in Dhing, Nagaon on 21 September 2026 , attacking the BJP over alleged communal politics.
Gogoi alleged financial irregularities involving Ram Temple funds and questioned the BJP's decision to give ministerial posts to individuals facing cow-theft allegations.
Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora , a former MLA from Batadrava , is the party's pick for the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll.
The seat fell vacant after former MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the BJP and won the Dispur Assembly seat.
25 candidates have filed nominations; BJP has fielded Devasish Sharma and AIUDF has fielded Badruddin Ajmal .
Voting is scheduled for 6 October , with counting on 9 October .
Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Monday, 21 September 2026, intensified his campaign attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over alleged communal politics and the use of religion in electoral mobilisation, calling on voters in the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election to reject what he termed divisive politics. The bypoll is scheduled for 6 October, with vote counting on 9 October.
What Gogoi Said at Dhing
Addressing a campaign gathering in the Dhing locality of Nagaon, Gogoi invoked Batadrava — the birthplace of Vaishnavite saint and social reformer Srimanta Sankardeva — to frame his message. 'This time, people will vote against communal politics,' he said, adding that the statement would come from Batadrava itself, lending it symbolic weight in Assam's cultural consciousness.
Gogoi further targeted the BJP over its references to Hinduism, alleging financial irregularities involving funds meant for the Ram Temple and questioning the party's decision to extend ministerial positions to individuals facing allegations of cow theft. 'People from the party that talks about Hinduism steal money meant for the Ram Temple, give tickets to people facing allegations of cow theft and make them ministers,' he said.
Congress Candidate and Campaign Pitch
The Congress is fielding Sibamoni Bora, a former Member of the Legislative Assembly from Batadrava, as its candidate in the bypoll. The party announced his candidature earlier this month. Senior Congress leaders Rakibul Hussain and Wazed Ali Choudhury also attended the Dhing campaign meeting and sought voter support for Bora.
Why the Seat Fell Vacant
The Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency became vacant after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the party, joined the BJP, and subsequently won the Dispur Assembly constituency. The by-election has drawn a wide field, with 25 candidates filing nominations — including nominees from the BJP, Congress, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), and All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The Multi-Cornered Contest
The BJP has fielded Devasish Sharma, while the AIUDF has fielded Badruddin Ajmal. Gogoi has previously alleged that the BJP and AIUDF share a tacit understanding ahead of the bypoll — a charge that underscores the Congress strategy of positioning itself as the sole alternative to what it calls communal electoral politics. This comes amid broader national debate over the role of religion in political campaigning, making the Nagaon contest a closely watched indicator of voter sentiment in Assam.
What to Watch
With voting set for 6 October and results on 9 October, the Nagaon bypoll will test whether Congress can capitalise on its anti-communal messaging in a constituency that blends diverse communities. The outcome could also signal the health of the Congress-led opposition bloc in Assam ahead of the next state assembly cycle.
Point of View
It reframes the contest from a straight communal battle to a more complex factional calculus. Congress's challenge is that with 25 candidates in the field, the anti-BJP vote risks fragmentation that benefits the very party it is trying to unseat. The Nagaon result will be read as an early referendum on whether the opposition's communal-politics message resonates in a demographically mixed Assam constituency.
NationPress
21 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll?
The Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll is scheduled for 6 October 2026, with counting of votes set for 9 October 2026.
Why is the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat vacant?
The seat fell vacant after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the party, joined the BJP, and won the Dispur Assembly constituency in a subsequent election.
Who are the main candidates in the Nagaon bypoll?
The main candidates include Devasish Sharma for the BJP, Badruddin Ajmal for the AIUDF, and Sibamoni Bora for the Congress. In total, 25 candidates have filed nominations, including nominees from Trinamool Congress.
What did Gaurav Gogoi allege against the BJP at the Nagaon campaign rally?
Gogoi alleged that BJP leaders were involved in financial irregularities related to Ram Temple funds and that the party gave tickets and ministerial posts to individuals facing cow-theft allegations. He called on voters to reject this as communal politics.
What is the significance of Batadrava in Gogoi's campaign messaging?
Batadrava is the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva, Assam's revered Vaishnavite saint and social reformer. Gogoi invoked the site to lend cultural and moral authority to his anti-communal message, framing the Congress pitch as rooted in Assam's own pluralist heritage.
