Silchar Poll Buzz: Gen Z Face Kunki Chowdhury Questions Degrees Declared by 3 BJP Candidates

Gen Z political face and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) leader Kunki Chowdhury has raised questions over the educational qualifications declared by three BJP candidates contesting the Silchar Municipal Corporation election.

In two Facebook posts, Chowdhury named Kanchan Dev, Pratiksha Dev and Papali Karmakar and questioned the degrees declared by them in their nomination papers. She also shared documents to support the points raised in her posts and questioned whether the educational qualifications of candidates were properly scrutinised during the election process.

In her first post, titled “Fiction 1: Silchar Municipality Election”, Chowdhury alleged that Kanchan Dev, the BJP candidate from Ward No. 6, declared a BA degree from Sikkim International University, obtained in 2018.

She questioned the declaration on the grounds that Sikkim International University was established under the Sikkim International University Act, 2021.

Among the documents shared by Chowdhury was an e-stamp document carrying the candidate’s declaration and mentioning his educational qualification. She also shared a December 1, 2025 press release issued by the Sikkim Government’s Education Department regarding the status of Sikkim International University.

According to the press release shared by Chowdhury, although the university was legally created through the 2021 Act, it had not commenced academic or administrative operations within Sikkim. The document states that campus infrastructure, faculty recruitment, admission processes and statutory bodies required for the functioning of a university had not been established within the state.

The same communication also states that the Sikkim Government was proposing to process the repeal of the Sikkim International University Act, 2021, citing the prolonged non-functioning of the university and concerns regarding possible misuse of its name.

Based on these documents, Chowdhury questioned how a degree declared as having been obtained in 2018 could have been issued by an institution established through legislation in 2021.

In her second Facebook post, titled “Fiction 2: Silchar Municipality Election”, Chowdhury named BJP candidates Pratiksha Dev and Papali Karmakar and alleged that both had declared BA degrees from Jodhpur National University.

She referred to the university’s past controversies and alleged that questions had previously been raised over degrees issued by the institution. Chowdhury also questioned whether the State Election Commission should have carried out additional verification of the qualifications declared by candidates.

The allegations raised by Chowdhury concern three candidates in the Silchar municipal election. However, the documents shared in her posts do not by themselves establish that any of the three candidates submitted a forged or invalid degree.

The authenticity and validity of the individual qualifications would require verification from the respective institutions, relevant education authorities and the election authorities.

Chowdhury has described the issue as a matter requiring clarification from the authorities and has called for answers regarding the scrutiny of candidates’ nomination papers.

The Silchar Municipal Corporation election is scheduled to be held on October 3.