New Delhi: Eighteen of the Congress’ 19 newly elected MLAs in Assam are Muslims, underlining how its influence has shrunk to minority-dominated areas. Dr Joy Prakash Das from the Nowboicha Assembly constituency is the only Hindu MLA.
Following the 2023 delimitation, Muslim dominated seats in the state were reduced from 35 to 23, resulting in their significant marginalisation in terms of numerical presence and electoral influence in other constituencies.
On Monday, the Congress won most of these seats in Barak Valley and lower Assam. The presence of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) dented the Congress’ performance in at least two seats, but despite this split in votes, the Congress has still managed to win 16 seats across these areas. Its ally Raijor Dal also won one seat in this area.
The AIUDF secured only two seats out of the 30 it contested. NDA ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) also won one minority-dominated seat, while the TMC opened its account.
In the minority-dominated Bilasipara constituency, AGP’s Jibesh Roy won the seat by a narrow margin of 2,694 votes, defeating Congress’s Amrit Badsha. However, AIUDF’s Sabana Akhtar secured 4,350 votes, cutting into Congress’s vote share on this seat.
Congress’ Hindu candidate Prakash Das won on the Nowboicha Assembly segment of Upper Assam.
A senior AICC observer who campaigned in Assam in these elections said that the 2023 delimitation exercise in Assam redrew constituency boundaries to reflect population shifts, a move widely seen as benefiting the ruling BJP. “The impact was evident in the results. Even in the Lok Sabha elections, we managed to win only three seats,” the observer said.
He added that Muslim-dominated constituencies were reduced from around 35 to 22-23, while Muslim influenced seats declined from 41 to 26. “Our overall vote share increased slightly from 29.67 per cent in the last Assembly polls to 29.84 per cent this time, but the number of seats has declined. This is a worrying situation,” the observer added.
Tanvir Aeijaz, a Delhi based political analyst and associate professor at the University of Delhi, told ThePrint, ”This is really a worrying result for Congress in Assam. The party has managed to win seats largely in Muslim dominated districts. It raises questions about what it has done over the past five years to expand its reach elsewhere. Blaming delimitation alone is not a solution; the party needs to seriously rethink and restructure its approach in Assam.”
Seats & results
Dhubri: In Dhubri constituency of Lower Assam Division, Congress’s Baby Begum won by over 68,000 votes against BJP’s Uttam Prasad. The seat was held by AIUDF’S Nazrul Hoque in 2021.
Gauripur: In the Gauripur constituency of the Lower Assam Division, Congress candidate Abdus Sarkar won by over 1.19 lakh votes against AIUDF’s sitting MLA Nizanur Rehman.
Birsing Jarua: In Birsing Jarua constituency of Lower Assam Division, Congress’s Wazed Ali Chaudhary won by over 35,000 votes against Independent candidate Reza Amin. This is a new constituency formed in 2023.
Bilasipara: In Bilasipara constituency of Lower Assam Division, Jibesh Roy of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), an NDA ally, won by over 2,600 votes against Congress’ Amrit Badsha.
Mandia: In Mandia, TMC candidate Sherma Ali Ahmed won by over 27,000 votes, defeating Congress’ Abdul Khaleeq. Here AIUDF Rafeequl Islam got over 49,000 votes, cutting into Congress’ share.
Chenga: In Chenga constituency of Lower Assam, Congress’ Abdur Rahim Ahmed won by over 87,000 votes, beating AIUDF’s Asharaful Hussain.
Pakabetari: In the Pakabetari constiuency of the Lower Assam Division, Congress’ Zakir Hussain won by over 67,000 votes.
Chamaria: In Chamaria constituency, Congress’ Rakibuddin Ahmed won by a margin of over 78,000 votes.
Samaguri: In Samaguri constituency of Central Assam, Congress’ Tanzil Hussain won by over 1.08 lakh votes.
Ding: In Ding constituency of Central Assam, Mehboob Mukhtar of Raijor Dal, an ally of the Congress, won by over 71,000 votes.
Rupohihat: In Rupohihat constituency of Central Assam, Nurul Huda of Congress won by over 69,000 votes.
Algapur-Katlichera: In Algapur Katlichera of Barak Valley, Congress’ Zubair Anam Mazumdar won by over 1.05 lakh votes.
Karimanagar North: In Karimanagar North constituency of Barak Valley division in Assam, Congress’ Jakaria Ahmed won by over 26,000 votes.
Karimnagar South: In Karimnagar South constituency of Barak Valley, the Congress’ Aminur Rashid Choudhary won by over 86,000 votes.
Sonai: In the Sonai Assembly constituency of Barak Valley, Congress’ Aminul Haque won by over 27,000 votes.
Binnakandi: In the Binnakandi Assembly constituency of Central Assam, AIUDF’s Mohammed Badruddin Ajmal won by over 35,000 votes.
Mankachar: In the Mankachar Assembly constituency of Lower Assam region, Congress’ Mohibur Rahman won by over 53,000 votes.
Jaleshwar: In the Jaleshwar Assembly constituency of Lower Assam, Congress’ Aftab Uddin won by over 1.09 lakh votes.
Dalgaon: In Dalgaon Assembly constituency of Lower Assam, AIUDF’s Mazibur Rahman won by over 28,000 votes.
Golpara East: In Golpara East Assembly constituency of Lower Assam region, Congress’ Abul Kalam Rasheed won by over 51,000 votes.
Srijangram: In the Srijangram Assembly constituency of Lower Assam, Congress’ Nurul Islam won by over 18,000 votes.
Prabhat Jhora: In Prabhat Jhora Assembly constituency of Lower Assam region, Congress’ Ashraful Islam Sheikh won by over 9,000 votes.
Laharighat: In Laharighat Assembly constituency of Lower Assam, Congress’ Asif Mohammad Nazar won by over 66,000 votes.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Rebels and turncoats deliver Assam constituencies to BJP, not so much for Congress
One more reason for Congress to take its support from the minorities more seriously. Not feel, Aur kahaan jaa sakte hain. Along with Dalits and Adivasis, Muslims have generally been supportive of the Congress. Including in Gujarat. It should accord them a more central role in its politics.