Assam: Digboi Congress Faces Internal Rivalry Over Candidate Selection, Dulal Moran Emerges Front-Runner

GUWAHATI: Intense internal competition has erupted within the Digboi unit of the Congress party over ticket distribution for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. As many as ten aspirants have applied for the party ticket and are actively campaigning to secure the nomination.

The aspirants are engaging with the public through various programmes while simultaneously lobbying with senior party leaders to strengthen their chances. Among the prominent contenders are Dulal Moran, Bhaskar Jiban Baruah, Lakheshwar Moran, Rajib Moran, Gunakanta Gogoi, Runashree Saikia, Binod Kharia, Bharat Nayak, among others.

However, retired headmaster and current President of the District Congress MOBC Department, Dulal Moran, is widely considered the frontrunner in the race. A former central committee secretary of the Moran Students’ Union and a former office-bearer of the Moran Sabha, Moran is a well-known figure among the Moran community, tea tribes, Hindi-speaking residents, and other sections of society. Known as a respected educator and social worker with a clean public image, he has gained popularity across communities in the constituency. Party workers also view him as a strong candidate capable of challenging BJP MLA Suren Phukan.

Senior party leaders Bhaskar Jiban Baruah and Lakheshwar Moran are also in the race, although Baruah’s prospects appear uncertain after his defeat in the Digboi Municipal Board’s Ward No. 8 election. Other aspirants, including Runashree Saikia and Gunakanta Gogoi, remain active in the race, while young Moran leader Rajib Moran is also seen as a potential contender.

Digboi, once considered a Congress stronghold until 2014, has seen the party lose ground in recent years. Whether the Congress can regain its former dominance in the constituency will depend on the final candidate and the party’s campaign strategy.

Following delimitation, the Moran community has emerged as a decisive voting bloc in Digboi, and it is believed that the party may prioritise a candidate from the community. Sources indicate that Dulal Moran, Lakheshwar Moran and Bhaskar Jiban Baruah are currently under discussion at the state leadership level, but the final decision on the party ticket remains uncertain.

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