Among the 118 names the Congress released on Sunday for Assam’s 126 assembly constituencies, there are 49 new faces, and 40 are 40 years of age or below.
In a few constituencies, wards have replaced their parents. If former Union minister Santosh Mohan Dev’s daughter Sushmita has edged out his wife, Bithika, in the Silchar constituency, former chief minister Hiteswar Saikia’s son Debabrata has replaced mother Hemoprova in Nazira.
However, septuagenarian revenue minister Bhumidhar Barman has been retained for the Barkhetri seat despite pressure from his son Diganta.
“We have struck a fine balance between experience and youth,” said Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and MP Bhubaneswar Kalita. Among the new faces is Ghanashyam Kalita from his pet Rangiya assembly constituency.
The Congress has also absorbed a few independents and deserters from other parties. The latter include Rumi Nath (Borkhola seat), who switched over from the BJP, and Anwarul Hoque (Katigora), who moved from the All India United Democratic Front.
The party has fielded candidates in all the 12 constituencies in the territory under the jurisdiction of the Bodoland Territorial Council, controlled by its ruling ally Bodoland Peoples’ Front. The Congress had kept off this area in 2006.