Assam By-Elections: 38 Candidates Contest for Five Assembly Seats

Guwahati: The nomination process for the upcoming by-elections in Assam has concluded, with a total of 38 candidates officially contesting for five assembly seats. These elections are scheduled for November 13. An official release revealed that 24 candidates submitted their nomination papers on the final day, which added significant activity to the electoral landscape.On the last day of nominations, three candidates filed for Dholai, one for Sidli, five for Bongaigaon, twelve for Samaguri, and three for Behali. Among the notable candidates are BJP’s Diplu Ranjan Sarma, representing Samaguri; AGP’s Diptimoy Choudhury, who is the wife of the former eight-time MLA Phanibhushan Choudhury, contesting in Bongaigaon; Congress’s Jayata Bora in Behali; and Suddho Kumar Basumatary from the Bodo People’s Front in Sidli.The scrutiny of nomination papers is scheduled for October 28, with the final date for withdrawal of nominations set for October 30. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting three out of the five constituencies—Behali, Samaguri, and Dholai—while leaving Bongaigaon and Sidli for its alliance partners, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), respectively. The Congress party is aiming to contest all five seats.These by-elections have been prompted by the recent election of sitting MLAs to the Lok Sabha earlier this year. Notably, Tanzil Hussain, the Congress candidate for Samaguri, is the son of Rakibul Hussain, the sitting MLA who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Dhubri constituency by an impressive margin of over 10 lakh votes. Similarly, the BJP’s MLA from Dholai, Parimal Suklabaidya, was elected to the Lok Sabha from Silchar, while his party colleague Ranjit Dutta won from the Behali constituency.In Bongaigaon, AGP’s Phanibhushan Choudhury also transitioned to the Lok Sabha, winning the Barpeta seat, and Joyanta Basumatary from UPPL was elected from Kokrajhar.Voting for the five assembly seats will take place on November 13, with results to be announced on November 23, marking a significant moment in Assam’s political landscape.

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Assam Achieves Milestone with Full Coverage in PM-KISAN Scheme: CM Sarma

Guwahati: On October 26, Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma proudly announced a remarkable achievement in the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi Scheme, reporting that multiple districts in the state have surpassed full coverage, reaching saturation levels. This development is a major step forward in the government’s initiative to bolster the agricultural community.During his announcement, Sarma provided specific data for five districts that have excelled in the scheme. Majuli leads the pack with an extraordinary coverage rate of 163%, followed by Lakhimpur at 122%, Sivasagar at 108%, Charaideo at 107%, and Golaghat at 101%. This achievement indicates a strong commitment to supporting farmers, often referred to as the “Annadatas,” or food providers.Currently, the PM-KISAN Scheme benefits approximately 17.5 lakh farmers across Assam. The Chief Minister emphasized that the state government is dedicated to ensuring all districts reach similar saturation levels, further uplifting the agricultural sector. In an evaluation of nine districts, outstanding performances were noted, especially in the Upper Assam region, where coverage rates significantly exceeded the state average of 26.46%.The PM-KISAN Scheme, launched on December 1, 2018, is a Central Sector initiative fully funded by the Government of India. It provides annual income support of ₹6,000 to all eligible land-holding farmer families, distributed in three equal installments. The definition of a family under this scheme includes the husband, wife, and minor children. State governments and Union Territory administrations are responsible for identifying eligible families according to the scheme’s guidelines, with funds transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts. Notably, there are various exclusion categories to ensure proper targeting of the support.This accomplishment underscores Assam’s ongoing commitment to empowering its farming community through effective government initiatives.