Badruddin Ajmal to Contest Nagaon Lok Sabha Bypoll on October 6, Eyes Lok Sabha Return After 2024 Defeat

Badruddin Ajmal Enters Nagaon Lok Sabha Bypoll

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) president Badruddin Ajmal will contest the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election in Assam, marking his bid to return to the Lok Sabha after his defeat in the 2024 general election.

The AIUDF announced Ajmal's candidature on September 15 after its core committee approved his nomination. Ajmal is currently the MLA from Binnakandi Assembly constituency in Assam's Hojai district.

The Nagaon bypoll will be held on October 6, 2026, while votes will be counted on October 9. The last date for filing nominations is September 16, followed by scrutiny on September 17 and withdrawal of nominations until September 19.

Ajmal's Return Bid After 2024 Defeat

Ajmal, 70, is a three-time former Lok Sabha MP who represented the Dhubri parliamentary constituency from 2009 to 2024.

He contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Dhubri but was defeated. He subsequently returned to electoral politics at the state level and won the newly formed Binnakandi Assembly constituency in the 2026 Assam Assembly election.

His decision to contest Nagaon therefore represents another attempt to return to national politics.

AIUDF Earlier Considered Another Candidate

Before naming Ajmal, the AIUDF had indicated that Rezaul Karim Sarkar, a former All Assam Minorities Students' Union leader, could contest the Nagaon bypoll.

However, party workers subsequently sought Ajmal's candidature, and the AIUDF core committee eventually approved the party chief as its nominee.

Ajmal said he had initially been reluctant to leave his Binnakandi Assembly constituency but decided to contest in what he described as the larger interest of the party.

BJP, Congress and TMC Also in the Fray

Ajmal's entry has expanded the field in Nagaon.

The BJP has nominated former IAS officer Debasish Sharma, who recently took voluntary retirement from government service and joined the BJP. The Congress has selected former Batadroba MLA Sibamoni Bora, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has named Abdul Salam as its candidate.

With these candidates in the contest, the Nagaon bypoll will involve multiple major political parties.

Why the Nagaon Seat Fell Vacant

The by-election was necessitated after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the party and joined the BJP.

Bordoloi subsequently contested the 2026 Assam Assembly election from Dispur on a BJP ticket and won the seat, leaving the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency vacant.

The vacancy has prompted both the BJP and opposition parties to mount campaigns for the parliamentary seat.

Ajmal Says AIUDF Will Fight BJP and Congress

After his candidature was announced, Ajmal said the AIUDF would contest against both the BJP and Congress.

He also argued that neither party had adequately addressed the concerns of the minority community. Ajmal described the Nagaon contest as important for the AIUDF's future political presence in Assam. These are Ajmal's political assessments and have not been independently established as facts.

Ajmal's campaign will therefore seek to build on his existing political base while presenting the AIUDF as a separate alternative in the constituency.

Congress Raises Allegations Against Ajmal

Congress leaders have criticised the AIUDF's decision to field Ajmal.

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi alleged that Ajmal's entry could help the BJP by dividing votes among opposition parties. Gogoi specifically alleged that Ajmal was acting in coordination with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

These statements are political allegations by the Congress and have not been established as facts.

The AIUDF, meanwhile, has presented Ajmal's candidature as a decision taken by its own leadership and core committee.

Raijor Dal Decides Not to Contest

Another notable development is the decision of Raijor Dal not to field a candidate.

Party president and MLA Akhil Gogoi said the party would stay out of the Nagaon contest despite having a political base in the constituency. He said the decision was intended to avoid division of votes opposing the BJP. This was Gogoi's stated rationale for the party's decision.

The move leaves the BJP, Congress, AIUDF and TMC as the major parties in the electoral contest.

Nagaon’s Political Significance

Nagaon is an important parliamentary constituency in Assam and has historically been contested closely by major political parties.

The constituency includes several Assembly segments with substantial minority populations, including Samaguri, Dhing, Rupohihat and Laharighat. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has identified these areas as important to the BJP's campaign strategy.

The entry of Ajmal adds another established political figure to the contest and gives voters an additional candidate representing the AIUDF.

Ajmal's Political Career

Ajmal entered electoral politics in the 2006 Assam Assembly election, a year after establishing the AIUDF.

He initially won from the South Salmara Assembly constituency before moving into national politics. He subsequently represented Dhubri in the Lok Sabha for three consecutive terms beginning in 2009.

After his defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Ajmal returned to Assam's state-level electoral politics and won the Binnakandi seat in 2026.

His Nagaon candidature now provides him with an opportunity to seek another parliamentary mandate.

Election Schedule for Nagaon Bypoll

The Election Commission's schedule sets out the following key dates:

• Last date for nominations: September 16, 2026

• Scrutiny of nominations: September 17, 2026

• Last date for withdrawal: September 19, 2026

• Polling: October 6, 2026

• Counting of votes: October 9, 2026

Campaigning will continue after the nomination process, with the candidates expected to focus on local issues, development, employment, infrastructure and constituency-specific concerns.

What Lies Ahead

The Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll has attracted attention because of the entry of several established political figures and the changing political alignments in Assam.

For Ajmal, the election is a bid to return to Parliament after his 2024 defeat. For the BJP, Congress and TMC, the contest provides an opportunity to strengthen their respective positions in the constituency.

The final outcome will be determined by voters on October 6, with counting scheduled three days later.

Bottom Line

AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal will contest the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll in Assam on October 6, 2026. The former three-time Dhubri MP is seeking a return to the Lok Sabha after losing the 2024 election and winning the Binnakandi Assembly seat in 2026. BJP's Debasish Sharma, Congress' Sibamoni Bora and TMC's Abdul Salam are also in the contest. The bypoll was necessitated by former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi's resignation and subsequent election from Dispur on a BJP ticket.