NEW DELHI: In a landmark victory, Congress candidate Rakibul Hussain has defeated All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal in the Dhubri constituency, winning by an unprecedented margin of over 10 lakh votes.
According to the Election Commission, Hussain garnered 14,71,885 votes, while Ajmal secured only 4,59,409 votes, marking a record-breaking victory margin of 10,12,476 votes.
The stunning outcome in Dhubri, which voted in Phase 3 of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on May 7, signifies a major shift in the political landscape of Assam. This result is particularly significant given the ongoing controversies surrounding the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the broader political discourse pitting indigenous Assamese against alleged infiltrators, which has heightened tensions between the BJP and its rival parties.
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Rakibul Hussain’s victory is not just a personal triumph but a significant win for the Congress party, highlighting his role as a prominent Muslim face in Assam politics. This victory marks him as the only Congress candidate to secure such a massive margin in this election cycle.
Ajmal, a perfume baron-turned-politician, has been a formidable force in Dhubri, having won the seat consecutively since 2009. His defeat represents a severe blow to the AIUDF, a party he founded following the Supreme Court’s repeal of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act in 2005. The AIUDF aimed to consolidate the political power of Bengali-origin Muslims in Assam, achieving significant success in previous elections. However, the party’s influence has been waning in recent years.
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The electoral outcome in Dhubri, with its high voter turnout of 92.08%. Ajmal won the Dhubri constituency in the Lok Sabha elections 2019, securing 7,18,764 votes. INC’s Abu Taher Bepari secured 4,92,506 votes. In 2014 Ajmal had won the Dhubri, defeating the nearest rival INC’ Wazed Ali Choudhury by over 2,29,730 votes.