Nagow seat becomes contest between BJP’s ex‑bureaucrat and Congress

The upcoming Nagow Lok Sabha by‑election has turned into a high‑stakes face‑off between the Bharatiya Janata Party’s newly announced candidate, former IAS officer Debashish Sharma, and the Congress Party, which seeks to retain the seat it captured in the 2024 general poll.

Sharma, a retired deputy commissioner of Nagow, entered politics after taking voluntary retirement from the civil service earlier this month. The BJP’s central office issued a formal proclamation on September 11, signed by Tarun Chugh, naming him as the party’s nominee.

The election, scheduled for October 6 with results to be declared on October 9, follows the resignation of Congress MP Pradyut Borah, his defection to the BJP, and his subsequent victory from the Dispur Assembly constituency. Borah’s move left the Nagow parliamentary seat open.

Congress has filed a formal complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that Sharma’s recent appointment could create administrative advantages. The complaint underscores the political versus administrative dimensions of the race.