Cong, BJP gear up for Assam by-election

GUWAHATI: The Congress on Friday announced the names of candidates for the November 19 by-election to Lakhimpur Lok Sabha     constituency and Boithalangshu Assembly constituency even as the rival BJP has gone overboard in the campaign trail with the chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and his second in command Dr Himanta Bishwa Sarma leading from the front.
The Congress has fielded Dr Hem Hari Prassana Pegu as its candidate from Lakhimpur Lok Sabah constituency and Rupan Sing Ronghang from Baithalangshu Assembly constituency. They are pitted against BJP’s Pradan Baruah and Mansing Rongpi respectively.
Pradan Baruah is a sitting BJP MLA from Jonai Assembly constituency while former Congress MLA Mansing Rongpi shifted allegiance to the BJP after the last Assembly election held in April this year even though he had won from Baithalangshu as a Congress candidate.
Meanwhile, BJP’s key ally AGP is not going to field any candidate of its won in these two constituencies going for by-election.
A senior BJP leader Dilip Moran on Friday resigned from the BJP in protest against not being given the party ticket to contest from Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat. He alleged that there was no democracy within the BJP in Assam and the party was now run by one `Hitler’.