The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released its first list of 88 candidates for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, including former Congress leaders Pradyut Bordoloi and Bhupen Kumar Borah.

Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi, who recently ended his long association with Congress and joined the BJP in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will contest from Dispur. Bhupen Kumar Borah, the former Congress state president who switched to the BJP weeks ago, has been fielded from Bihpuria, a constituency he lost in the last two elections.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will contest from his traditional Jalukbari seat. Other notable BJP candidates include Pijush Hazarika from Jagiroad, Rupali Langthasa from Haflong, and Prasanta Phukan from Dibrugarh. Incumbent Hitendra Nath Goswami will seek re-election from Jorhat against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi.

In a related development, Prateek Bordoloi withdrew his Congress candidacy from Margherita following his father Pradyut Bordoloi’s decision to join the BJP. In a letter to AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Prateek stated that continuing as a candidate would not be appropriate and expressed his intent to provide clarity to Congress workers and voters.

The Assam Legislative Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9 across all 126 constituencies, with results scheduled for May 4, according to the Election Commission of India.