Assam Assembly Elections 2026 | Ex-Congress candidates Pradyut Bordoloi, Bhupen Borah lead in constituencies

As countings were underway for the Assam assembly elections, the BJP geared up for a win with figures showing the chances for it to lead comfortably for a third term of governance.

The ruling party led in majority of the constituencies in Assam, touching 78 seats, according to data revealed by the Election Commission at 2.54 pm. Its alliances of the NDA, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF) continue to lead in 8 and 9 seats respectively.

With all eyes on the results, names of the candidates who have switched parties resurface, particularly in the districts of Dispur and Bihpuria.

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Pradyut Bordoloi's switch from the Congress to BJP caused political storms, as he claimed that he felt neglected, isolated and a "persona non grata". He further said he felt "humiliated" within the party, which caused him to switch.

The state's capital Dispur saw a three-way battle between BJP's Pradyut Bordoloi, Congress' Mira Borthakur Goswami, and independent candidate Jayanta Das as frontrunners.

In response, Congress called Bordoloi's exit to be "unfortunate". Priyanka Gandhi hinted on didffernces in ideology, while also stating he must have been "upset over one ticket allocation."

Another candidate under the spotlight is Bhupen Kumar Borah from Bihpuria, who had resigned from Congress to join the BJP in February.

Along with Borah, former Congress leaders Sanju Bora, Rajesh Kumar Joshi, Kangkan Das, Gagan Chandra Bora and more than a dozen other workers from the opposition party also joined the BJP.

He informed that the Congress leadership "hurt his sentiment", saying the party also "hurt the Assamese community's feelings."

The two defections caused a stir within the Congress, as the members left their former party just prior to the assembly polls. The NDA appears all set to form the government in Assam.