The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced a list of 88 candidates who will contest the assembly elections in Assam in 2016.
Among those named are nine Muslim candidates, six former Congress MLAs, five Scheduled Caste candidates and 10 Scheduled Tribe candidates, including BJP state party president and union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who is contesting the Majuli seat. Sonowal is also the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in the state.
Former Congress MLA Himanta Biswa Sarma and five of his supporters, also from Congress, have received tickets. Kamakhya Prasad Tasha, Jorhat Lok Sabha member, will be contesting against incumbent Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
The BJP will contest a total of 90 seats. The party is yet to declare candidates for the two remaining seats. You can find the complete BJP candidate list here.
The AGP, the BJP's ally, has also declared its candidate list. They will be contesting from 24 constituencies. You can find the complete list here.
In a blow to BJP's "Mission 84," two factions, one each from the BJP and the AGP, have formed their own parties as they were upset over the BJP-AGP tie up. The BJP has also tied up with the Bodoland People's Front.
The AGP Jatiyatabadi Mancha (AGP Regional Forum) was formed by leaders who exited the AGP and the Trinamool BJP was formed by some former BJP leaders. The BJP breakaway party has grass root leaders.
"We cannot have any understanding with the BJP. The BJP is a party which does not respect the Assam Accord. A total of 855 martyrs sacrificed their lives during the Assam movement. We can't accept the AGP having an understanding with the BJP," IANS quoted Sunil Rajkonwar, president of the AGP Regional Forum, as saying.
The Congress party has not declared its list or if it is tying up with any other party. The Trinamool Congress is also fighting the Assam assembly elections.
