Assam CM submits nomination after roadshow

GUWAHATI — Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Friday filed his nomination from the Jalukbari Assembly constituency for the upcoming state elections, taking out a roadshow from Khanapara to the Kamrup (Metropolitan) Deputy Commissioner’s office in Hengrabari.

The rally, which began at the Veterinary Field in Khanapara, saw Sarma accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, son Nandil Biswa Sarma, and Gauhati Lok Sabha MP Bijuli Kalita Medhi, among other BJP leaders and supporters.

The procession covered a distance of around 5.6 km before reaching the DC office, where Sarma submitted his nomination papers amid tight security and a strong show of political support.

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A key stronghold for the BJP, Jalukbari has been represented by Sarma for over two decades. He is now seeking a sixth consecutive term from the constituency, underscoring his enduring political dominance in the region.

Sarma first contested from Jalukbari in 1996 but was defeated by senior Asom Gana Parishad leader Bhrigu Kumar Phukan by a margin of around 17,000 votes. However, he made a strong comeback in 2001, winning the seat by approximately 10,000 votes.

Since then, he has retained Jalukbari in every Assembly election, steadily increasing his victory margins over the years.

In 2006 and 2011, Sarma consolidated his position with comfortable wins as a Congress candidate, emerging as one of the most influential leaders in Assam politics.

Following his switch to the BJP in 2015, he contested the 2016 Assembly elections from Jalukbari and secured a resounding victory, further strengthening his hold over the constituency.

In the 2021 elections, Sarma once again retained the seat with a significant margin, shortly before being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Assam.