Lok Sabha MP Dilip Saikia is the new BJP state unit chief of Assam

Dilip Saikia was the only person to file his nomination for the Assam BJP president’s post till the 7pm deadline

Published on: Jan 16, 2025, 22:47:23 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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GUWAHATI: Lok Sabha member from Darrang Udalguri, Dilip Saikia, was named the new president of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s Assam unit on Thursday.

Dilip Saikia, 51, was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019. (X/himantabiswa)

51-year-old Saikia, who replaces Bhabesh Kalita, has been with the BJP for decades and first joined the party’s ideological fount, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), when he was still a student.

Saikia was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019 and was reelected from the Darrang Udalguri seat (earlier known as Mangaldoi) in 2024.

Saikia was the only person to file his nomination for the state president’s post by the cut-off time for filing papers, 7 pm on Thursday.

“Congratulations to Shri Dilip Saikia on being elected as the Assam BJP president. He is a dedicated and disciplined ‘Karyakarta’ (worker) who has served the Sanghathan (organisation) right from his student days,” Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a post on X, announcing Saikia’s elevation.

“Be it as a ‘Swayamsevak’, a ‘karyakarta’ or as a Member of Parliament, Dilip da has added value to any responsibility he has held. His approachable and hardworking nature is widely cherished in the party. I am sure Assam BJP will scale newer heights during his presidency,” he added.

Saikia is currently national general secretary of BJP. He had previously held positions in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student body affiliated to the RSS.

“Saikia has a lot of experience about our organisation. I am sure he will perform very well in his new role. I congratulate him on his elevation,” outgoing BJP state unit chief Bhabesh Kalita told reporters in Guwahati.

Saikia’s first task would be to lead the party in the panchayat polls expected to be held around April this year before he begins preparations for next year’s assembly polls.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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