Assam election 2026: Ex-Rajya Sabha MP, senior Congress leader Ripun Bora loses Barchalla seat

Ripun Bora, a senior Congress leader, lost the Barchalla seat at the 2026 Assam assembly elections.

Updated on: May 4, 2026, 19:59:25 IST

By Khushbu Sahu

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After 12 rounds of counting, Senior Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora lost the Barchalla seat at the 2026 Assam assembly elections, in Sonitpur district. The INC candidate got 59933 votes, behind BJP's Ritu Baran Sarmah (84495), who won the seat. A former President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Bora is one of the party’s most experienced figures.

Ripun Bora has served as a high-profile Cabinet Minister under the Tarun Gogoi government, handling portfolios like Education and Panchayat & Rural Development. (Eastern Mirror)

On the campaign trail, Bora positioned himself as a champion of the "common man," focusing his attacks on the state's rising debt and the "communal divide" he alleges has been fostered by the current administration. He also focused on issues regarding tea garden wages and the "D-Voter" crisis in the region.

ALSO READ: Assam assembly elections 2026: CM Himanta to contest from Jalukbari as BJP releases candidate list for polls

Who is Ripun Bora

Born on October 1, 1955, in Gohpur, Ripun Bora is the son of the late Dambarudhar Bora. He is a highly educated leader, holding a Master’s degree in Economics (1978) and an LLB (1983) from Gauhati University.

His political career began in the student wings of the Congress, eventually leading him to the state assembly from the Gohpur seat in 2001. He served as a high-profile Cabinet Minister under the Tarun Gogoi government, handling portfolios like Education and Panchayat & Rural Development.

Bora’s political journey reached a turning point in April 2024 when he returned to Congress after a two-year stint as the state president of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). Since his return, he has been integrated into the party's core strategy for the 2026 polls.

He is married to Monika Bora, a former MLA herself, and the family has been a central pillar of Congress politics in Central Assam for decades.

ALSO READ: Assembly election 2026: Assam records over 85% polling

About Barchalla Constituency

The Barchalla constituency, located in the tea-rich Sonitpur district, is a key battleground where the Tea Tribe and indigenous communities hold significant sway. In his 2026 affidavit, Bora declared total assets worth ₹2.76 Crore, including residential properties in New Delhi and Gohpur.

Polling in Barchalla concluded on April 9, 2026, with an impressive turnout, which Bora has described as a "vote for restoration of democratic values."

What Happened in the Previous Elections?

In the 2021 assembly elections, Ripun Bora suffered a high-profile defeat in his traditional seat of Gohpur, losing to BJP’s Utpal Borah by a margin of 29,294 votes. The loss led to his resignation as the APCC President and his subsequent temporary shift to the Trinamool Congress.

ALSO READ: Election 2026 highlights: Voting ends with high turnout in Assam, Kerala; CEC calls elections ‘historic’

Prior to the 2021 polls, Bora represented Assam in the Rajya Sabha from 2016 to 2022, where he was noted for his high participation in debates regarding the NRC and the privatisation of state assets.

(With inputs from local bureaus and ECI affidavits)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Khushbu Sahu
Khushbu Sahu is a journalist with the online desk, assisting with research, writing, editing, and curating digital content, while gaining experience in SEO and content publishing workflows. She is currently pursuing a PGDM in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. Khushbu holds a Bachelor’s degree in German from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where she developed a strong foundation in language, culture, and global perspectives. She was awarded a scholarship to attend a language programme at Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania, which provided her with international exposure and an opportunity to engage with diverse cultural and academic environments across Europe. Her areas of interest include politics, international relations, public policy, and human-interest stories. She is particularly interested in exploring how policies impact communities on the ground. Previously, she worked as a content writer with Karamrath and was associated with the Gandhi Fellowship, where she engaged in grassroots development initiatives. She has also interned in the public policy space, contributing to research and programme development in the education sector.Read More

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