In Assam's Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi trails by 13,000-plus votes
What's the story
Congress's Gaurav Gogoi is trailing behind the Bharatiya Janata Party's Hitendra Nath Goswami in the Jorhat constituency of Assam. According to data from the Election Commission, Gogoi has secured 24,910 votes while Goswami leads with 38,070 votes. The contest is seen as a proxy battle between Gogoi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Political significance
A significant battleground in Assam politics
The Jorhat constituency is a significant battleground in Assam politics. It has been held by Goswami since 2016. He was the Speaker of the Assam Assembly from 2017 to 2021. The contest also marks a major test for Gogoi, who is making his state assembly election debut after being a three-term MP and state unit chief. As of 12:00am, the BJP is leading in 98 seats out of 126 in Assam, while the Congress is only leading in 26 seats.
Regional dynamics
Congress's struggle to regain foothold in Upper Assam
The Congress is struggling to regain its foothold in Upper Assam, where it has been losing representation over the years. The only seat it is leading in Upper Assam is Titabor, a traditional stronghold of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. The early trends also show that Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia is trailing from the Nazira constituency.