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BJP Eyes Hat-trick in Duliajan as Rameswar Teli Returns to Old Seat

Former Union Minister and MP Rameswar Teli has been fielded by the BJP to contest the Duliajan Assembly seat, replacing the sitting MLA who was nominated for the Rajya Sabha. He will face Congress candidate Dhruba Gogoi, with the BJP aiming for a third consecutive victory in this constituency. The election dynamics are influenced by an alliance between Congress and the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), though a separate candidate from the JMM may have minimal impact. The votes of tea plantation workers are seen as a critical factor, with the BJP seeking an edge following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent engagement with the community.

Key Points: Duliajan Election: BJP's Rameswar Teli vs Congress' Dhruba Gogoi

  • Teli replaces RS-nominated Terash Gowalla
  • Congress & AJP in alliance for 2026 polls
  • Seat was Congress bastion till 2001
  • Tea garden workers' votes crucial
  • PM Modi recently engaged with Assam tea workers
3 min read

Duliajan Election: Rameswar Teli returns to his Assembly seat as BJP eyes hattrick against Congress

Former MP Rameswar Teli returns as BJP candidate in Duliajan, aiming for a hat-trick against Congress's Dhruba Gogoi in key Assam Assembly seat.

"The party now eyes a hat-trick of victories in the constituency with Teli as its candidate. - Report"

Duliajan, April 6

Former Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Duliajan, Rameswar Teli, who has also served as Dibrugarh MP, has returned to contest his old Assembly constituency amid anti-incumbency concerns within the party.

Teli will face Congress candidate Dhruba Gogoi in the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.

Rameswar Teli has replaced two-time MLA Terash Gowalla as the BJP candidate, after the sitting legislator was nominated for the Rajya Sabha seat in Assam. Teli had won the 2001 and 2006 polls from the Duliajan seat and has also served as the Dibrugarh MP before entering the Rajya Sabha. The BJP leader has also served as the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Food Processing Industries and Labour.

Now, the BJP has called him back into state politics, while sending Gowalla to the Upper House of Parliament in his place.

Duliajan, once considered a Congress bastion from 1985 to 2001 under Amiya Gogoi, came under BJP control in 2016. Teli initially took over the seat in 2001, which was reclaimed by Amiya Gogoi in 2011, before the BJP regained it. The party now eyes a hat-trick of victories in the constituency with Teli as its candidate.

In the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, Terash Gowalla defeated Dhruba Gogoi by a margin of 8,110 (6.4 per cent) votes.

Meanwhile, Dhruba Gogoi has a chance to secure the seat amid an anti-incumbency anxiety. In the last elections, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) President Lurinjyoti Gogoi was also in the fray from Duliajan and managed to win 24,192 votes.

This time around, the AJP is contesting along with Congress in an alliance. Even if the party emerged out of the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) agitation may not boost Congress' chances in Duliajan, it would definitely not cut the anti-BJP votes falling in favour of Congress.

Among Congress' star campaigners, MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra campaigned for Dhruba Gogoi, addressing a rally in Tingkhong on April 1.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), a Congress ally in Jharkhand, has taken a lone road in Assam and fielded Peter Minj on the Duliajan seat. However, the JMM does not have much influence in Assam, and Duliajan is set to witness a contest between the BJP and Congress yet again.

Duliajan seat is part of the Dibrugarh Parliamentary constituency, a region known for its tea plantations. Votes of the tea plantation workers in Duliajan will be an important factor in the elections.

The BJP seem to have an edge here with Prime Minister Narendra Modi handing over land ownership documents to tea garden workers in Assam last month. PM Modi also visited a tea garden in Dibrugarh and interacted with workers there.

The polling for all 126 constituencies in the Assam Assembly will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
Interesting to see the candidate shuffle. But honestly, is this just musical chairs? Terash Gowalla did a decent job, now he's sent to Rajya Sabha. Feels like the party is more focused on managing its own leaders than on what the constituency actually needs.
D
Dhruba G
As a local from Dibrugarh, the tea garden workers' vote is everything here. Congress needs to focus on their real issues - wages, healthcare, education. Just having an alliance with AJP won't be enough. Dhruba Gogoi must connect on the ground.
S
Sarah B
The article mentions anti-incumbency. That's the real challenge for any sitting party. Voters want development, not just familiar faces. Hope both candidates present clear plans for Duliajan's future.
A
Aryan P
BJP's strategy looks strong. They have the sitting MP's network, the PM's recent goodwill visit, and now a veteran candidate. Congress relying on Priyanka Gandhi's rally feels like an outsider's touch. Local issues need local focus, not just star campaigners.
M
Meera T
Let's see if the AJP-Congress alliance can consolidate the anti-BJP vote effectively. Last time, AJP took away a significant number. If they work together properly this time, the margin could be much tighter. Exciting contest ahead! 🤞

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