Sivasagar, Jan 31: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ramping up preparations to reclaim the 96 Sivasagar Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) in Upper Assam in the upcoming 2026 elections. The party aims to unseat Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi, who secured a decisive victory in 2021 while contesting as an Independent candidate from jail, defeating BJP’s Surabhi Rajkumari by 11,875 votes.
Party strategists believe nominating a strong candidate is crucial to reversing the previous election outcome. More than a dozen BJP leaders are reportedly vying for the ticket, including district president Bitupon Raidongia, former Mahila Morcha vice-president Dipika Kakoty Duwori, and ex-Thowra MLA Kushal Duwori.
Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma is said to have hinted at Kushal Duwori as a potential nominee. Duwori, a former ULFA member and 2021 Thowra runner-up, has since been consolidating his local presence as chairman of the Urban Sewage Board, implementing government projects across the constituency.
Internal divisions persist within the BJP, with factions supporting Duwori and others opposing him due to his past ULFA connections, which they fear may alienate voters. Akhil Gogoi has already critiqued Duwori’s candidacy, warning of potential controversy in Sivasagar, a highly educated constituency.
Following recent delimitation, Sivasagar LAC now has 207,605 voters 102,772 men, 104,832 women, and one transgender voter after the addition of 12 wards from Amguri and Nazira. To strengthen its position, the BJP is enrolling approximately 63,000 new members and rolling out the ‘Mahajansamparka Abhiyan’ alongside various welfare schemes.
The 2021 defeat was attributed to candidate selection issues, internal conflicts, and defections, including former district BJP president Bhaben Mohan joining Raijor Dal after being denied a ticket. As the party looks ahead to 2026, consolidating local support and presenting a unified front remain central to its strategy for reclaiming Sivasagar.