Elections will be held across Assam on Thursday — with over 700 candidates in the fray for 126 seats. The north-eastern state has seen severe upheaval in recent weeks as key Congress leaders joined the BJP and new alliances were forged ahead of polls. Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah is contesting the elections from Bihpuria constituency as a BJP candidate after a defection in February.

Voting will be held for 126 seats in Assam on Thursday — than 2.5 crore eligible electors and 722 candidates in the fray. Officials said 31,940 polling stations have been set up in 35 districts for the single-phase polling. Micro-observers have been deputed in sensitive polling stations. The results will be declared on May 4.

Who is Bhupen Kumar Borah?

Borah began his political career as the president of the Assam Youth Congress and represented Bihpuria in the state Assembly from 2006 to 2016. However, he lost the seat to the BJP in the 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections. The veteran politician was associated with the Indian National Congress for over three decades before his recent resignation from the party. Borah also served as a spokesperson and parliamentary secretary for the Tarun Gogoi-led government.

He joined the BJP in late February this year — inducted in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and State BJP President Dilip Saikia. Borah was subsequently named as a candidate from Bihpuria in the BJP list. He will now face off against Congress nominee Narayan Bhuyan who was once considered his close friend.

BJP vs Congress in Bihpuria

According to a Sentinel Assam report, Borah and Bhuyan were known to be close within Congress circles until recently. There had reportedly been internal speculation that the former Bihpuria MLA would contest from Ranganadi this time while Bhuyan was fielded from his former seat — a plan that would have kept the two friends on the same side.

But the BJP nomination has also raised eyebrows in some quarters after the party denied sitting MLA Amiya Kumar Bhuyan ticket. Instead the party has handed the candidacy to the man he defeated by a margin of 10,178 votes the 2021 assembly election. It remains to be seen whether the gamble translates into a victory for the ruling party.

There are four candidates in the fray from Bihpuria — including Diganta Gogoi of the Voters Party International and independent candidate Hemen Gogoi. It is expected to be a head-to-head between Borah and Bhuyan.