Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi files nomination from Jorhat for assembly poll debut

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi on Monday filed his nomination papers from the Jorhat assembly constituency , formally entering the fray in the upcoming Assam legislative assembly elections and marking his first contest in a state assembly poll .

The Jorhat Lok Sabha MP and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha began the day by visiting religious places of different communities before launching a roadshow from Jorhat Stadium. The rally, attended by a large number of party workers and supporters , moved through the town and concluded at the district commissioner’s office , where Gogoi submitted his nomination papers after a procession lasting nearly three hours.

Ahead of filing his papers, the Congress leader also visited his family residence in the Nazir Ali area and offered prayers before the portrait of his father, former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi , paying tribute to the veteran leader before beginning his electoral battle.

Gogoi, who has represented Jorhat in the Lok Sabha since 2024 , is considered a key face of the Congress campaign in the state and has been projected as the party’s chief ministerial candidate in the polls.

The contest in Jorhat is expected to be closely watched as Gogoi will face BJP veteran and sitting MLA Hitendranath Goswami , who has represented the constituency five times. Goswami first won the seat thrice consecutively from 1991 as an Asom Gana Parishad candidate before later securing victories in 2016 and 2021 as a Bharatiya Janata Party nominee .

In the run-up to the elections, Gogoi has launched an outreach campaign across the constituency, visiting namghars and interacting with residents while presenting the Congress and its allies as an alternative to the ruling BJP government.

The nomination filing process for the elections concluded on Monday. Papers will be scrutinised on March 24 , while candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 26 .

Polling for the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly will take place in a single phase on April 9 , and the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4 .