Ready to fight in all five assembly seats: Assam Congress’ Jakir Hussain Sikdar on state’s bypolls

Guwahati (Assam) [India], October 17 (ANI): Gearing up to contest the bypolls in the state, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) will hold a meeting on October 18 to finalise the number of seats the party will be contesting.

The bypolls for five assembly constituencies in Assam – Samaguri, Behali, Bongaigaon, Sidli and Dholai, will be held on November 13.

Earlier on Tuesday, Election Commission of India announced bypolls for 48 assembly constituencies in 15 states and the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. The bypolls are spread over 15 states – Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

Working President of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar said that the party will also discuss on potential alliances with other parties.

“We are ready to fight in all five assembly seats. In how many seats where Congress will fight will be decided on October 18 meeting. AICC General Secretary Jitendra Singh, in-charge Assam, APCC president, MPs and senior party leaders will be present in the meeting. We will also discuss about our ally parties,” Jakir Hussain Sikdar told ANI.

Earlier, Assam Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Bhabesh Kalita said that out of five seats, BJP will fight in three seats (Samaguri , Behali and Dholai) while its ally AGP will fight in Bongaigaon and UPPL will fight in Sidli assembly constituency.

“This meeting will be attended by Assam in-charge Harish Dwivedi, other senior leaders and the Chief Minister (of Assam). There will be a lot of discussions, including the upcoming by-elections for five assembly constituencies,” Kalita added.

In 2021 assembly polls in the state, BJP won Behali, Dholai constituency, AGP won in Bongaigaon, UPPL won in Sidli and Congress won in Samaguri constituency.

The five assembly seats had become vacant after five MLAs had vacated their seats after being elected in the Lok Sabha earlier this year.