TMC Unveils 22 Candidates for Assam Assembly Elections with Focus on Stability
TMC's Strategic Candidate Selection for Assam Elections
Silchar, March 26: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced a carefully curated list of 22 candidates for the forthcoming Assam Assembly elections, marking a significant effort to strengthen its position in the state through a principled approach to candidate selection.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Sushmita Dev, a senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP, emphasized that the party has deliberately chosen not to include any rebel leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), prioritizing long-term organizational stability over immediate electoral advantages.
“This election is not about opportunism. By selecting candidates who have demonstrated loyalty and steering clear of defectors, we are conveying a strong, principle-based message to the electorate and assembling a reliable team for Assam,” Dev stated.
She noted that this strategy was developed in collaboration with party chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as well as national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, taking into account the lessons learned from the frequent defections that have undermined party integrity over the last five years.
“Numerous individuals who departed from Congress or the BJP have returned to their original parties or rejoined the BJP after winning elections. This experience has influenced our strategy this time around,” she added.
The TMC aims to establish itself as a strong alternative by fielding candidates in regions where it has developed a solid organizational presence. These areas include constituencies in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Barak Valley, and various parts of Upper, Middle, and Lower Assam, as well as hill districts.
Leaders like Abhijit Majumdar, a former Congress mayoral project leader, are anticipated to lead the campaign in Guwahati, while the party is also focusing on rural strongholds to broaden its reach beyond urban centers.
Dev mentioned that approximately 80 applications were received from across Upper Assam, Lower Assam, Barak Valley, and the hill districts, with selections based on three main criteria: organizational strength, candidate suitability, and inclusive representation.
“The party aims to provide a credible alternative to the public. Our candidate selection reflects loyalty, community representation, and inclusivity,” she explained.
Clarifying the final candidate count, Dev indicated that the party had initially selected 23 candidates and submitted this list to the central leadership in Kolkata back in December.
However, one candidate, Paresh Borah, who was slated to contest from the Mariani constituency in Jorhat district, withdrew due to a serious family emergency requiring him to travel to Chennai.
The current list represents the culmination of a phased expansion strategy by the TMC in Assam. The party had previously released its first list of 17 candidates, marking its initial electoral initiative in the state.
In the second list, it announced seven additional candidates while also withdrawing the candidature of Dulu Ahmed, bringing the effective total to 23 nominees.
With the subsequent withdrawal of the Mariani candidate, the final count now stands at 22. This strategic rollout of candidates highlights the party’s commitment to gradually enhancing its presence in Assam.