Top reactions from BJP candidates of Cachar: Election 2026

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday (March 19) announced its candidate list for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, with several nominees in Barak Valley expressing confidence in the party’s prospects while addressing concerns over ticket distribution and internal dissent.

Speaking to the media, BJP nominee for Udharbond, Rajdeep Goala, said party workers would dedicate themselves to the nation’s welfare and work with full commitment. He expressed confidence in the leadership of Narendra Modi and Himanta Biswa Sarma, claiming that public support would ensure a sweeping victory. He predicted that the BJP would cross the 100-seat mark in Assam and win all seats in Cachar district.

Incumbent MLA Lakhipur and Minister of Barak Valley Development Department Kaushik Rai said, “I am thankful to my party leadership for trusting me with the Lakhipur seat for the second consecutive term”. Reacting to the snubbing of incumbent MLAs and resignation of Nihar Ranjan Das, Rai said, “It is quite usual for someone to be sad after not securing a ticket, but there is no internal rift in the party and I am sure that everyone will join the party works to make our candidates win”.

Katigorah candidate Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha thanked state BJP president Dilip Saikia and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for their trust. He said the BJP prioritises nation-building and development, and argued that Katigorah had lagged due to poor relations with the ruling party in recent years.

Addressing criticism over his nomination, he said such situations are common in every election and maintained that the BJP is an organisation where the Lotus symbol is the main priority and not individuals. He further claimed that many Hindu leaders have shifted to the BJP as there is no suitable environment for them in the Indian National Congress, alleging that they are not encouraged and that the party is ignoring the majority demography.

Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, a former three-term MLA from North Karimganj between 2011 and 2021 as a Congress leader, recently joined the BJP in February and has been fielded from Katigorah. His previous constituency is now being contested by Subroto Bhattacharjee.

In Silchar, BJP candidate Dr Rajdeep Roy said he was “extremely happy” and grateful to the party leadership and workers. Responding to criticism over development delays, he said, “70-year-old issues won’t be solved in 70 days,” adding that the BJP has its own checklist and each issue is being addressed one by one. He assured that progress is underway. He credited the Modi government for focusing on the development of the Northeast and said further improvements, especially in urban areas, would be carried out through proper planning and expert consultation. Roy was the Member of Parliament from Silchar constituency from 2019 to 2024.

Dholai candidate Amiya Kanti Das said his nomination reflects the party’s recognition of loyalty and hard work. He expressed hope that grassroots workers would feel encouraged.

The announcement, however, triggered controversy in several constituencies. Nihar Ranjan Das resigned from the BJP after being denied a ticket for Dholai, stating that his contributions were not recognised and he even made explosive statements against MP Parimal Suklabaidya. He has indicated that he may contest as an independent candidate.

On internal dissent, Amiya Kanti Das said he would personally reach out to MLA Nihar Ranjan Das and hoped he would return to the party fold.

The Dholai seat has seen a striking reversal of roles within the Bharatiya Janata Party. After MP Parimal Suklabaidya vacated the seat, Nihar Ranjan Das was given the ticket and won the bypoll, while Amiya Kanti Das briefly rebelled before withdrawing his independent candidature following party intervention. This time, the situation has mirrored itself, with Amiya Kanti Das nominated and Nihar Ranjan Das resigning after being denied a ticket, even indicating a possible independent run.

In Silchar, the party replaced sitting MLA Dipayan Chakraborty with former MP, Dr Rajdeep Roy, leading to discontent among some local residents, with a section of netizens expressing support for the NOTA option.

Despite the dissent, scenes of celebration were reported across Barak Valley as supporters welcomed the nominated candidates with garlands and slogans.

The BJP has fielded Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha from Katigorah, Kaushik Rai from Lakhipur, Rajdeep Goala from Udharbond, Dr Kishore Nath from Borkhola, Rajdeep Roy from Silchar, Amiya Kanti Das from Dholai, Dr Milon Das from Hailakandi, Subroto Bhattacharjee from North Karimganj, Krishnendu Paul from Patharkandi and Bijoy Malakar from Ramkrishna Nagar.

Assam will go for polling on April 9 in a single phase, with counting scheduled on May 4.