Guwahati / Nagaon, September 13, 2026 — In a carefully calculated move aimed at consolidating its organisational strength and making inroads into a demographically complex constituency, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday formally nominated former Indian Administrative Service officer Devasish Sharma as its candidate for the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election. Polling for the seat is scheduled for October 6, with counting of votes fixed for October 9.
Sharma, who took voluntary retirement from government service only days before joining the BJP, previously served as District Commissioner of Nagaon. Party leaders and observers describe him as an administrator known for accessibility and relatively neutral handling of a sensitive district. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while announcing the candidature, highlighted Sharma’s long association with the Deepsikha Foundation, which has assisted cancer patients from Assam seeking treatment in Mumbai, and his efforts during the Covid-19 period to facilitate the return of patients stranded in other states.
The Nagaon parliamentary seat fell vacant after two-term Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the Lok Sabha earlier this year, crossed over to the BJP ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, and successfully contested the Dispur Assembly constituency on a BJP ticket. Bordoloi’s departure created an unexpected opening in a constituency that has historically been competitive and carries significant political symbolism for both the ruling party and the opposition.
Election Commission schedules and district-level preparations are already under way. Nomination filing began after the formal notification, with the last date for filing set for September 16 and the last date for withdrawal fixed for September 19. Joint review meetings of officials from Nagaon and Morigaon districts have focused on polling station readiness, security arrangements, counting centres and the use of the cVIGIL app. The first phase of randomisation of polling personnel has been completed using dedicated software to minimise discretionary allocation. The Model Code of Conduct is in force, and district authorities have begun removing unauthorised campaign materials.
BJP leaders have projected confidence. Barhampur MLA Jitu Goswami, while inaugurating a party election office in the Rupohihat area, claimed that the political atmosphere in Nagaon has shifted since the 2024 general election and predicted a decisive margin of around two lakh votes for the BJP candidate. Party state president Dilip Saikia has pointed to recent influxes of local leaders and workers, particularly from certain Assembly segments, as evidence of growing support for the ruling dispensation’s development narrative.
The constituency, however, presents structural challenges. Following delimitation, several of its eight Assembly segments have substantial minority populations, and the Congress had retained a clear edge in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. AIUDF is expected to field its own candidate rather than extend support to the Congress, potentially splitting opposition votes. Congress leaders have held internal discussions on possible nominees, with names such as former MLA Sibamoni Bora among those under consideration, though a final decision is awaited.
Political observers note that the BJP’s decision to field a recently retired bureaucrat rather than a traditional party leader reflects a deliberate strategy. Sharma’s administrative record in Nagaon itself is being projected as an asset that could appeal beyond the party’s core vote base, including sections of the minority electorate. At the same time, the Congress is expected to campaign on the theme of continuity of its earlier representation and to highlight what it describes as unfinished agendas on local development and community concerns.
Security arrangements are being strengthened across the district. Senior police officials have indicated that additional forces will be deployed to ensure peaceful polling. The Election Commission has also scheduled randomisation of EVMs and VVPATs, with representatives of recognised parties invited to observe the process.
For the BJP, victory in Nagaon would reinforce its dominance in Assam after the party’s strong performance in the recent Assembly elections and provide a high-profile parliamentary face in a key central Assam seat. For the opposition, particularly the Congress, the bypoll offers an early opportunity to test organisational resilience and to challenge the ruling party’s narrative of irreversible political realignment in the state.
As campaigning intensifies over the coming weeks, the Nagaon by-election is set to become one of the more closely watched electoral contests in the Northeast this year — a contest that will test organisational machinery, demographic arithmetic and the enduring appeal of administrative credentials in electoral politics.