GUWAHATI, October 10: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday delivered a powerful statement of political dominance in Assam by wresting the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat from the opposition in a hard-fought by-election, with its candidate Devasish Sharma, a former Indian Administrative Service officer, emerging victorious by a commanding margin of over 1.42 lakh votes.
According to figures released by the Election Commission of India, Sharma polled between 7.13 lakh and 7.14 lakh votes, accounting for nearly half of all ballots cast. His nearest rival, AIUDF president and three-time Member of Parliament Badruddin Ajmal, secured approximately 5.72 lakh votes. Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora, a former MLA, finished a distant third with around 1.29 lakh votes, underscoring the party’s diminished influence in a seat it had held until recently.
The bypoll was necessitated by the resignation of sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi, who vacated the seat earlier this year after switching allegiance to the BJP and subsequently winning the Dispur Assembly constituency. The contest, held on October 6 with a robust voter turnout of 76.19 per cent, drew intense national attention because of the constituency’s demographic profile. Following the 2023 delimitation exercise, Nagaon has emerged as a seat with a significant Muslim-majority voter base, with estimates ranging from 50 to 62 per cent.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had campaigned vigorously for Sharma, described the outcome as a “reflection of development politics” and a clear endorsement of the BJP’s governance model under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “This victory demonstrates that people across communities, including large sections of the minority population, have placed their faith in our work,” Sarma said in a post-result statement. “It is a tribute to the leadership of the Prime Minister and proof that inclusive development cuts across traditional vote banks.”
Sharma, 59, who previously served as Deputy Commissioner of Nagaon and is known locally for his administrative track record, expressed gratitude to the electorate. “I thank the people from the bottom of my heart, especially voters in the minority-dominated segments,” he said. “They have shown that when development and goodwill are delivered sincerely, support follows naturally. I had not expected such a decisive margin.”
Political analysts view the result as a setback for both the AIUDF and the Congress. Ajmal’s AIUDF, which has long positioned itself as the primary representative of Assam’s Muslim voters, was unable to convert demographic advantage into victory despite a strong second-place finish. The Congress, once the dominant force in Nagaon, saw its vote share collapse, finishing far behind the two main contenders.
The Nagaon parliamentary constituency comprises eight Assembly segments spread across Nagaon and Morigaon districts. Historically a Congress stronghold for decades, it was held by the BJP’s Rajen Gohain for four consecutive terms between 1999 and 2019 before Bordoloi reclaimed it for the Congress in 2019 and retained it in 2024. Friday’s verdict reverses that trend and raises the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s tally in Assam’s 14 Lok Sabha seats.
The outcome is being closely watched for its implications on minority voting patterns in the state. While the BJP has traditionally struggled in Muslim-dominated areas, the Nagaon result suggests a possible erosion of traditional loyalties, driven by the ruling party’s emphasis on infrastructure, welfare schemes, and administrative delivery. Sarma’s personal popularity and organisational machinery are widely credited with bridging the gap.
Opposition leaders have yet to issue detailed reactions, though informal assessments within Congress circles acknowledge the scale of the defeat. The AIUDF is expected to conduct an internal review of its campaign strategy.
As the festive season of Durga Puja approaches across Assam, the political conversation has briefly shifted from celebration to analysis of this unexpected electoral verdict. For the BJP, the Nagaon win represents more than a single parliamentary seat; it is being projected as evidence that its brand of politics is expanding into previously challenging demographic territories. For the opposition, it poses difficult questions about relevance and strategy in a rapidly evolving electoral landscape.
The newly elected Member of Parliament is expected to take oath shortly, while the BJP prepares to consolidate its gains ahead of future electoral battles in the Northeast.