Newly-floated regional party Raijor Dal’s president Akhil Gogoi has decided to withdraw his candidature from the Mariani Assembly constituency.

Mariani will go to the Assam Assembly elections 2021 in the first phase, scheduled to be held on March 27, 2021.

Akhil Gogoi has taken the decision to withdraw his candidature from Mariani seat with a view to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party said.

After the withdrawal of the candidature by Gogoi, there will be a direct contest between Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi and BJP candidate Ramani Tanti.

Also read: Assam: Lurin Jyoti Gogoi files nomination from Naharkatia and Duliajan, Akhil Gogoi from Sibsagar and Mariani

Earlier, the election authorities rejected the nomination of Alak Kumar Ghose, the candidate of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP).

The candidature of Ghose was rejected for his failure to submit the required documents.

He gave a tough fight against Rupjyoti Kurmi in the last election as an Independent candidate.

Also read: Assam Assembly elections 2021: Nominations of AJP’s Batadraba, Mariani candidates rejected

Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, however, will contest from Sivasagar Assembly seat.

Akhil Gogoi, who has been in jail since December 2019, submitted his nomination to the authorities of Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), where he is undergoing treatment.

“This decision has been taken by Raijor Dal and its president Akhil Gogoi only to defeat the BJP. For the public interests, Akhil Gogoi has decided not to contest from the home constituency, Mariani, where he had chances of winning. Our aim is not just to grab power or cross the election,” Raijor Dal wrote on its Facebook page.

“We want to develop Assam with a new look. This journey by us is to secure the future of the Assamese community in the real sense,” Raijor Dal wrote on its Facebook page.