In preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Gaurav Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha formally applied for party candidacy from three constituencies in Assam on Thursday. As a member of the Congress Working Committee(CWC) he has submitted candidacy applications for Kaziranga (previously kaliabor), Jorhat and Nagaon.
The son of the prominent Congress leader and former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Gaurav Gogoi, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), surprised many by formally seeking party candidacy from the aforementioned three constituencies. One of these is Kaziranga, a constituency he has been representing since 2014. The other two are Jorhat, recognized as a Gogoi stronghold, and Nagaon, where the Congress holds a significant presence with almost 70 percent minority voters. Moreover, Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi has also applied for candidacy from the same seat.
The Congress party issued an official invitation for party candidature applications from potential candidates, accompanied by an application fee of Rs 1 lakh each. More than 70 individuals have already submitted their applications for the 14 constituencies in the state.
Even with the deadline extended for an additional three days beyond Tuesday, Gaurav Gogoi kept everyone in suspense until the last moment.
An insider, familiar with the Congress leader, revealed that Gaurav intends to run for a single seat but is flexible regarding which of the three seats he might contest. The source stated, “We are prepared. The decision on where we contest is up to the party and the people. The chances of winning are equally viable in all three seats”, and preferred not to disclose their identity.
After the delimitation process in Assam, the former stronghold of the Gogois, Kaliabor, witnessed a decrease in the number of minority voters as Dhing, Rupohi, and Batadraba became part of Nagaon, turning Kaziranga into a Hindu-majority constituency.Previously, former Chief Minister Late Tarun Gogoi and his brother Dip Gogoi had represented Kaliabor for nearly three decades before Gaurav assumed office. However, given the shifting dynamics this time, Gaurav is maintaining flexibility in his choices, considering both Jorhat and Nagaon.
Leaders within the ruling BJP have acknowledged Gaurav’s decision as a strategic political move, describing it as a clever one, regardless of the final result.
