Gaurav Gogoi, Assam unit chief of the Indian National Congress, lost the Jorhat Assembly seat in his debut state election, as the party struggled to improve its overall performance in the state. The seat was retained by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Hitendra Nath Goswami, a former Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly.

According to counting trends around 2:25 pm, the BJP was leading in 78 seats in the 126-member Assembly, positioning itself to retain power in the state. In contrast, the Congress was leading in 21 of the 99 constituencies it contested, while its ally, Raijor Dal, was ahead in two seats. The figures indicated a decline from Congress’s earlier performances, when it had secured 26 seats in 2016 and 29 seats in 2021.

In the Jorhat constituency, Gogoi secured 46,257 votes, falling short against Goswami, who polled 69,439 votes. The defeat marked a significant setback for Gogoi, who is also the son of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and currently serves as a Member of Parliament from Jorhat in the Lok Sabha. His entry into state politics had been closely watched as a potential step toward a larger leadership role within the party.

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Political analysts noted that the election was a critical test for the Congress in Assam, particularly in the face of sustained BJP dominance. Kaustubh Deka, a political science professor at Dibrugarh University, described the contest as a “do-or-die” moment for the party, pointing to losses in traditional strongholds as a concerning trend for its future prospects.

Deka added that a stronger performance, or even a victory in key constituencies like Jorhat, could have enhanced Gogoi’s stature within state politics. However, the defeat is likely to impact his immediate political trajectory and complicate Congress’s efforts to rebuild its base in Assam. The overall results underscore the challenges faced by the party as it seeks to regain relevance in the state’s evolving political landscape.

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