GUWAHATI, March 4 — Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday accused the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) of promoting “dynastic politics” in its first list of candidates for the upcoming state Assembly elections, saying the list, released on Tuesday, is dominated by sons and relatives of senior leaders.
Sarma pointed to several high-profile names included by the AICC among its 42 announced candidates, citing the sons of the late chief ministers Tarun Gogoi and Bhumidhar Barman, and of former chief minister Hiteswar Saikia. The Congress list also names Assam PCC president Gaurav Gogoi for Jorhat, former PCC chief Ripun Bora for Barchalla, and Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia for Nazira, he noted. Sarma added that the sons of Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi and Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain were also on the slate.
Contrasting the Congress picks with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s approach, Sarma said the BJP has preferred candidates “from humble backgrounds” and from middle- or lower middle-class families. Referring to recent BJP nominations for Rajya Sabha, he said, “We have nominated people like Terash Gowalla and Jogen Mohan whose parents were never in the political limelight.”
Sarma argued the difference in candidate selection reflects a deeper ideological divide between the parties. “Unlike the Congress, which still believes in promoting family-based politics, BJP’s objective is to ensure that a majority of individuals from humble backgrounds and even economically disadvantaged sections are given an opportunity to take their political journeys ahead,” he said, adding that the BJP’s Assembly candidate list is yet to be released and will make the contrast clear when announced.
Sarma’s remarks frame a campaign debate over nepotism and inclusivity in candidate selection as parties finalize tickets ahead of the state polls, an issue likely to shape voter perceptions in the run-up to the elections.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/03/04/cong-list-of-candidates-reflection-of-dynastic-politics-himanta/
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Publish Date: 2026-03-04 17:23:00
