NEW DELHI: In a decisive victory, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Rishiraj Hazarika has won the Biswanath assembly constituency, securing a total of 82,493 votes. He defeated his nearest rival, Congress candidate Jayanta Khaund, by a margin of 19,652 votes. The election results were announced as part of the 2026 Assam assembly elections.
Election Details and Voter Turnout
Polling across Assam's 126 constituencies was conducted on April 9, with an impressive voter turnout exceeding 85 percent. Both rural and urban areas witnessed strong participation, reflecting high public engagement in the electoral process. The Biswanath constituency, a newly delimited seat formed in 2023 from parts of the former Naoboicha constituency, saw a keen contest between the two major parties.
Key Candidates and Their Performance
Rishiraj Hazarika of the BJP emerged as the clear winner, while Congress's Jayanta Khaund, a former Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader who joined Congress after resigning from his previous party, finished second. The margin of victory underscores the BJP's stronghold in the region. Exit polls released by multiple agencies had projected a clear advantage for the BJP-led government, indicating that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is likely to retain power.
Background of Biswanath (Rongonadi) Constituency
The Biswanath constituency, also known as Rongonadi or Ranganadi, is located in Lakhimpur district. It was formed from parts of the former Naoboicha seat as part of the delimitation exercise in 2023. As of March 2026, the seat had no sitting MLA following the end of the prior term. In the 2021 election, the Naoboicha seat was won by Bharat Narah of the Indian National Congress (INC) by a narrow margin of 3,613 votes, securing 52,905 votes (27.34 percent) against independent candidate Azizur Rahman, who got 49,292 votes.
Key Issues and Political Dynamics
Key issues in the constituency include voters' desire for political change amid shifting alliances. Internal party dissent from 2021 independents like Rao Gajendra Singh, along with broader rural challenges such as development, infrastructure, and flood-prone riverine areas in Lakhimpur, have been central to the campaign. Recent seat-sharing disputes between Congress and Raijor Dal, alongside BJP's interest, heightened pre-poll tensions.
The election results are part of the larger 2026 assembly elections across multiple states, including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry. The TOI News Desk continues to provide comprehensive coverage of the latest election results, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, and party-wise trends.
